On April 8, RA Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan received the delegation of the Committee on Political and Security Affairs of the Council of the European Union.
In his welcoming speech, the RA Foreign Minister noted with satisfaction the process aimed at significantly deepening RA-EU relations, stressing that it includes both the continuous implementation of the RA-EU Comprehensive and Extended Partnership Agreement and the best use of opportunities beyond it.
In the context of the dynamics of relational development, the activity of the EU monitoring mission in Armenia was referred to as the economic component of the development of the RA-EU partnership. Under the latter, Minister Mirzoyan emphasized the opportunities provided by implementing the landmark Economic and Investment Plan initiatives and the new “Armenia’s Resilience and Growth” program. Among the critical projects, references were also made to ensure progress in starting a dialogue on the liberalization of RA-EU visas.
Referring to the European Parliament in 2023, Minister Mirzoyan was added to the RA Prime Minister’s speech in December. “The people of the Republic of Armenia have European aspirations, and those aspirations will guide us.”
Regarding security issues in the South Caucasus, Ararat Mirzoyan presented the ambassadors of the EU member states with the latest developments in the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Emphasizing RA’s readiness to use the opportunity to achieve peace, the head of the RA foreign political department noted that this implies a record of mutual agreement on critical issues in the peace treaty, particularly the 1991 Mutual reaffirmation of recognition of territorial integrity and delimitation based on the Alma-Ata Declaration.
In the context of ensuring economic development in the region, Minister Mirzoyan emphasized the importance of unblocking transport and financial channels, mentioning the “Crossroads of Peace” program developed by the RA government to manifest the RA’s interest in this issue.
The minister answered the attendees’ questions regarding RA-EU interaction and Armenia’s regional policy. There was an exchange of views on other issues of mutual interest.
