ArmInfo.Armenia attaches great importance to the close partnership formed with the EU. This was announced by Armenian Foreign Minister Zorab Mnatsakanyan during a meeting with Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia of the European External Action Service Thomas Mayer-Harting.
The press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry told ArmInfo that, at the same time, the Armenian minister noted Yerevan's commitment to taking practical steps to further deepen cooperation with Brussels. Touching upon the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Expanded Partnership (CEPA) agreement, as a new legal basis for relations with the European Union and the member states, Mnatsakanyan stated that the agreement is an important tool for promoting reforms in Armenia.
According to him, the main priority of the Armenian authorities is the mobilization of government resources for the effective and practical application of CEPA.
In this regard, the parties agreed on the importance of the functioning of the interdepartmental commission to coordinate the application of CEPA and the Armenia-EU partnership agreement.
Mnatsakanyan spoke about the internal political processes in Armenia, the implementation of current reforms aimed at fighting corruption, the rule of law, and ensuring equal opportunities in social and economic spheres.
In the context of the upcoming extraordinary parliamentary elections, the Armenian Foreign Minister reaffirmed the commitment of the Armenian authorities to ensure the holding of fair and free elections, while stressing the importance of assisting international partners in this matter, in particular the EU.
The interlocutors exchanged views on topical issues of the regional and international agenda, including the situation in Syria, as well as the latest processes around the Iranian nuclear program.
Mnatsakanyan spoke about the position and priorities of Armenia on the settlement of the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict. The interlocutors mutually emphasized the importance of resolving the conflict peacefully within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group.