NA President Hovik Abrahamyan Has Official Meetings in Brussels

11 January, 2013

On January 8-10, 2013 President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan was in Brussels on an official visit.

The Head of the RPA faction Galust Sahakyan, the Head of the ARF faction Armen Rustamyan, the Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Artak Zakaryan, the Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs Koryun Nahapetyan, the Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Artak Davtyan, the Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs Davit Harutyunyan, the NA deputies Samvel Farmanyan, Vahe Enfiajyan, Khachik Harutyunyan, the NA Chief of Staff Gurgen Dumanyan and the RA Deputy Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan are in the delegation.

The NA President Hovik Abrahamyan on January 9 met with the EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle.

In the course of the meeting the sides discussed the development perspectives of the RA-EU relations, highly appreciated the positive dynamics of the already recorded political dynamics and expressed readiness of keeping and continuing it by both sides.

It was noted that progress was recorded in the RA-EU negotiation process: in Association Agreement (AA) and creating and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), at the same time they expressed willingness of reaching to an end the negotiations in 2013, which would give new quality to Armenia-European Union relations.

The parties also emphasized the readiness of the RA authorities on holding free presidential elections in accordance with European standards.

At the end of the meeting the NA President Hovik Abrahamyan once again thanked for active cooperation and assured that Armenia was ready to use the possibilities and instruments of cooperation, as it was possible.

The next meeting of the NA President Hovik Abrahamyan was with the Head of the CoE EPP faction Joseph Daul.

The NA President recorded with satisfaction that the cooperation with the EU structures had positive development, and highlighted the role of the EPP in the preservation of the European identity and in deepening of cooperation with the European Union counterpart countries.

On January 9 in Brussels the delegation led by the NA President Hovik Abrahamyan took part in the creation ceremony of the European Union-Armenia Friendship Group.

The Head of the European Union-Armenia Friendship Group Dr. Eleni Theocharous highlighted the establishment of the Group, expressing conviction that it would become a beginning of the EU-RA new cooperation, mutually beneficial economic, political and cultural active relations would be formed and the inter-parliamentary relations would develop. To her assessment, Armenia with its past and present is in the European value system, and Europe, as well as Armenia has a lot to give to each other.

During the creation ceremony of the European Union-Armenia Friendship Group the NA President addressed those present with a welcoming speech.On January 10 the Brussels meetings continued.

On January 10 the NA delegation had working breakfastthe EP President Martin Schulz.

Both sides highlighted the political dialogue going on within the framework of parliamentary cooperation. By the NA President’s assessment, Armenia actively takes part in the works of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly with multilateral format of the Eastern Partnership. He also touched upon the issue of holding the Euronest plenary session in Yerevan in 2014, expressing satisfaction for the consent of a number of members of the Euronest Bureau.

The issue of reaching to end as early as possible the negotiations on the Armenia-European Union Association Agreement was also discussed.

The NA President touched upon the problem of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, noting that the peaceful settlement of the issue continued to remain one of the most important priorities of the RA foreign policy. He said that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, as prior step, for a long time they had tried to get agreement in the issue of the snipers’ withdrawal, creation of the investigation mechanism of the cases of the ceasefire breach.

Hovik Abrahamyan highlighted the settlement of Armenia-Turkey relations in terms of regional, as well as international view. He noted that Armenia had constantly undertaken constructive initiatives, had remained adherent to the spirit of protocols signed in Zurich, whereas Turkey continued forward preconditions lacking in the protocols, which from the beginning were inadmissible for Armenia with the very simple reason that the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh problem had no relation to and could not have any relation to the problem of the regulation of the Armenian-Turkish relations.

On January 10 the RA NA President Hovik Abrahamyan also met with the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy.

The NA President expressed his satisfaction for the opportunity of meeting again, stating that during the recent years the active cooperation of the high ranking officials of the European Union and Armenia was the evidence of the fact that Armenia-European Union relations were at high level. Hovik Abrahamyan highlighted his visit to Yerevan in July of the last year, particularly, his impressive speech made in the National Assembly, noticing that it was accepted with big warmth and approval by the NA deputies and in general, by the community.

The NA President noted with satisfaction that the EU-RA cooperation had greatly contributed to the formation of the civil society in Armenia and the development of the state administration institutions. He assured that Armenia would steadfastly continue the elaboration and implementation of the concrete steps in the expansion of the relations.

Issues pertaining to the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh problem and regulation of Armenia-Turkey relations were discussed.

In the course of the meeting both sides also touched upon the situation in Syria. Upon the request of the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, the NA President told about supporting of thousands of Syrian Armenians who found asylum in Armenia, the efforts made by the RA authorities and NGOs and steps taken for facilitating their concerns.

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