Wednesday, July 21 2021 12:29

ArmInfo.Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received member of the European Parliament from France, Chairperson of the Subcommittee on Defense and Security at  the Commission on Foreign Relations of the European Parliament, head  of La Republique En Marche party delegation to the European  Parliament Nathalie Loiseau.

Greeting Mrs. Loiseau, Nikol Pashinyan highly appreciated her  pro-Armenian activities in the European Parliament. Highlighting the  resolution recently adopted by the European Parliament, as  co-authored by Mrs. Loiseau, which makes special mention of the  problem of Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijan, the Acting  Premier emphasized the need to facilitate the reinstatement of peace  and stability in the region.

"I would like to highlight the appeal formulated in the resolution  for Turkey to acknowledge the fact of and recognize the Armenian  Genocide. I wish to emphasize that it is not only a matter of  historical truth for us it, but also a key component necessary for  correctly assessing and interpreting the regional situation," Nikol  Pashinyan said, the press service of the Armenian PM informs.

Pleased with the current status of relations between Armenia and the  European Union, the Acting Prime Minister described them as  dynamically developing. "In June, I met with European Council  President Charles Michel in Brussels, after which Oliver Varhelyi  came to Armenia and officially announced a 2.6 billion euro-worth  support package for Armenia. Two days ago, European Council President  Charles Michel paid a follow-up visit, during which we outlined our  cooperation programs," Nikol Pashinyan said.

The Acting Prime Minister stressed the importance of Armenia's  relations with France. "Proud of our relations, we say that the  Armenian-French relations are of a privileged nature. On June 1 this  year I had an important meeting with President of the French Republic  Emmanuel Macron. We believe that furtherance and deepening of  bilateral relations with France should stand high on our agenda. I  highly appreciate the role played and the commitment assumed by the  President of France in terms of his constructive approaches to  security issues in our region," Nikol Pashinian emphasized.

Thankful for the warm welcome, Nathalie Loiseau congratulated Nikol  Pashinyan on his Civil Contract party's victory in the early  parliamentary elections. "You thereby demonstrated that democracy is  what matters most to you. This is all the more important in the  regional context. I arrived here as a representative of the European  Parliament, in particular as Chairperson of the Parliamentary  Subcommittee on Security and Defense, but also as a French woman, a  member of President Macron's government, who is well aware of my  visit. I fought hard for the European Commission to remind Turkey of  the need to recognize the Armenian Genocide, because it is impossible  to build a future if we fail to face the past. Like many other French  parliamentarians, I will continue to be a friend of Armenia and  Armenians in the European Parliament," Mrs. Loiseau said. She noted  that in her capacity of Chairperson of the Parliamentary Subcommittee  on Security and Defense, she would like to find out what the EU has  still to do to stabilize the situation in the region. "I would like  to see if there is hope for the exchange of new prisoners; is it  possible to continue the de-mining efforts; can we continue to assist  the displaced persons, which the EU delegation is already doing, and  what do you think about the border provocations, the last of which  just happened yesterday," Mrs. Loiseau said.

She stressed the importance of preserving Nagorno-Karabakh's cultural  heritage and granting free access to international organizations to  that end. "I would also like to know what we can do to facilitate  access and ensure the preservation of heritage. You mentioned the  recent visit of the European Commissioner, you hosted him and now you  are hosting a parliamentary delegation. I am happy to see Armenia in  the center of attention of the European Union. I would like to learn  your opinion about those areas where the European Union would better  have a greater presence, and in what areas you would like to see more  commitment on the part of France," the member of the European  Parliament noted.

The interlocutors discussed issues related to EU-Armenia relations,  to the prospects for Armenian-French interaction and to regional  developments.  Nikol Pashinyan stressed that Mrs. Loiseau is  considered a great friend of the Armenian people and Armenia: "You  are defending the truth, democracy and human rights, which gives your  activity a special weight."