EU-Armenia Cooperation Council holds 15th meeting

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Cooperation Council between the European Union (EU) and the Republic of Armenia held its fifteenth meeting on Tuesday, Jan 20. The European Union and Armenia confirmed their joint commitment to enhance and deepen their cooperation in all areas possible and compatible with Armenia's new international obligations.

The Cooperation Council reviewed recent political and social reforms in Armenia. The EU took note of progress achieved in implementing these reforms, while at the same time encouraging Armenia to accelerate reforms in specific areas, notably democracy and the rule of law, anti-corruption, human rights and fundamental freedoms, constitutional and judicial reform.

Particular attention was drawn to the need for reform of the electoral system, to the need to assure media freedom, and to the important role of civil society.

Both sides took stock of their joint reflection exercise to assess the potential scope and legal basis for future EU-Armenia relations. They continued to examine which areas of potential bilateral cooperation are compatible with Armenia's participation in the Eurasian Economic Union and addressed the possible legal basis for future EU-Armenia contractual relations.

The Cooperation Council welcomed the good progress made in implementing the Mobility Partnership. The EU reiterated its firm commitment to enhance the mobility of citizens in a secure and well-managed environment, which is a core objective of the Eastern Partnership. Both sides welcomed the entry into force of the visa facilitation and readmission agreements since the previous Cooperation Council, and their overall good implementation.

The EU confirmed its continued support for Armenia's reform efforts, including implementation of the visa facilitation and readmission agreements, and encouraged Armenia to make best use of the assistance it receives to this end from the EU. For 2014-2017 this will amount to between 140 and 170 million EUR, focused on private sector development, public administration and justice sector reform.

The EU and Armenia also reviewed activities undertaken during the past year in the context of the Eastern Partnership. They underlined the importance of effective joint actions in view of the 2015 Eastern Partnership Summit in Riga, and recalled the objectives, instruments and actions set out in the Eastern Partnership Road Map.

The Cooperation Council addressed regional issues and prospects for the resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. On the latter, the EU reaffirmed that “the status quo is unacceptable and the priority it attaches to the early peaceful settlement of this conflict.” The EU reiterated its willingness to support peace building activities and its readiness to provide reconstruction and rehabilitation support to the regions affected by the conflict, once a peace deal is struck. Both sides reiterated their support for the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Referring to the unprecedented level of tensions last year, the EU underlined that "the security situation along the Line of Contact and the international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains a matter of serious concern." The EU called on both sides "to respect the ceasefire, exercise restraint and intensify efforts towards peace."

The EU was represented by Edgars Rinkēvičs, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, acting as Chair of the Cooperation Council and head of the European Union delegation on behalf of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, and by Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations. The Armenian delegation was led by Edward Nalbandian, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia.