President receives EU Council’s Political and Security Affairs Committee delegation

President Serzh Sargsyan received a delegation from the EU Council’s Political and Security Committee (PSC), led by Committee Chairman Walter Stevens.

The delegation was comprised of ambassadors from twenty-eight EU countries accredited in Brussels and members of the Committee. The aim of the visit is to discuss the current status and the prospects of EU-Armenia relations in the light of the new EU-Armenia framework agreement, get a first-hand view of the situation on the spot, as well as address issues on the agenda of the upcoming Eastern Partnership Summit, exchange views on common political and security issues and challenges in the South Caucasus region.

Greeting the guests, the President of Armenia highlighted the importance of meetings and discussions held in the given format, which, to the President’s conviction, provide a good opportunity for taking up issues of mutual interest.

Noting that 3 days ago European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn was in Armenia, and a day prior to that the last modernized border checkpoint as refurbished with the assistance of the European Union was commissioned in the north of Armenia, attended by Head of EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Peter Switalski, President Sargsyan underlined that the intensity of contacts testifies that the EU is playing an important role in Armenia’s foreign policy.

Stressing that the EU attaches great importance to the relations with Eastern Partnership-member countries, including Armenia, the PSC Chairman said to be glad that Armenia has initialed the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement with the EU, which in fact shows that it is possible to sign an agreement and develop partnership with the European Union being a member of the Eurasian Economic Union. He emphasized that European Union’s policy within the framework of the Eastern Partnership initiative is not directed against anyone.

With reference to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Walter Stevens stressed that the EU supports the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs.

The PSC Chairman said the EU keen to ensure the continuity of Armenian reforms, including that of economic transformations, the implementation of a more efficient management following the Constitutional reform, as well as the efforts made to strengthen justice, human rights and democratic institutions.

During the meeting, Walter Stevens expressed gratitude for giving shelter to over 20 thousand Syrian refugees in Armenia.