Armenia highly values close partnership with EU – foreign minister
Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said on Thursday that Armenia highly values the close partnership with the European Union. Minister Mnatsakanyan’s remarks came at a meeting with Thomas Mayr-Harting, Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia at the European External Action Service. Piotr Świtalski, Ambassador, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia was in attendance.
As the press department at the ministry of foreign affairs reported, the minister added Armenia is committed to undertake practical steps to strengthen those relations. Speaking of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) as a new legal basis of relations with EU and members states, Mnatsakanyan stressed the agreement is an important tool to encourage reforms underway in Armenia. With this regards the interlocutors highlighted the work of the inter-governmental commission coordinating the implementation of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership and the EU-Armenia Partnership Priorities agreements.
Minister Mnatsakanyan and Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia Thomas Mayr-Harting exchanged views on actual issues of international and regional agenda, the situation in Syria, and the recent developments around the Iranian nuclear program.
FM Mnatsakanyan briefed the guest on the approaches and priorities of the Armenian side in the Nagorno Karabakh settlement process. It was bilaterally stressed that the Karabakh issue should be solved exclusively through peaceful means under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.
To note, Thomas Mayr-Harting is paying a two-day visit in Armenia and earlier held meeting with acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.