EU delegation visit to the South Caucasus

In the framework of an official trip in South Caucasus, a delegation of the European Union composed among others of the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus, Peter Semneby, arrived yesterday in Yerevan to meet the Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, and the President, Serzh Sargsyan. On this occasion the Spanish Foreign Minister Moratinos who leads the delegation has spoken in detail about the priorities on the Armenia-EU cooperation agenda, which include the possibility of signing a free trade agreement and an association agreement.

Below we provide you with articles from LRAGIR.am and Noyan Tapan.

Armenian and Spanish Foreign Ministers met

(Source: LRAGIR.am:http://lragir.am/engsrc/politics-lrahos17009.html)

/Lragir.am/ — On March 2, the Armenian foreign minister Edward Nalbandyan met with the delegation of the European Union headed by the Spanish foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos.

The Armenian Minister emphasized that relations between Armenia and the EU are at a critical juncture. The EU is a reliable political and economic partner for Armenia. He underlined the importance of started last year, the program “Eastern Partnership”. Among the priorities of Armenia’s dialogue with the EU, the Minister noted the deepening of political contacts, the signing of agreements on free trade, visa facilitation and start of negotiations for an associate signing.

Miguel Angel Moratinos said that by the visit to Armenia, the EU delegation demonstrates the importance the EU attaches to relations with the South Caucasus. The two sides expressed satisfaction with the good cooperation between the EU and Armenia in several ways.

Ministers also discussed the Armenian-Spanish relations, it was stated that during last year, the decision was taken to open an embassy of Armenia in Madrid. The parties also discussed regional issues. FM of Spain presiding EU said that the EU continues to support the ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols without preconditions and in a reasonable time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia reports.

European Union encourages normalization process of Armenia-Turkey relations

(Source: Noyan Tapan: http://www.nt.am/newsday.php?c=0&t=0&r=0&year=2010&month=03&day=02&shownews=1022989&LangID=1)

/Noyan Tapan/ — YEREVAN, MARCH 2, NOYAN TAPAN. At present the Armenia-EU relations are at a turning stage. RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian declared at a March 2 joint press conference with Miguel Angel Moratinos, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain, country presiding in EU. According to him, Eastern Partnership launched last year within the framework of the European Union opens wide opportunities for expanding cooperation in a number of spheres. The Armenian side attaches a special importance to signing a Free Trade Agreement, entrance visa facilitation and launching negotiations of signing an Association Agreement. “Rapprochement with the European family is one of the main directions of Armenia’s foreign policy and we have a goal to keep that way. We expect that cooperation will be expanded by bilateral and many-sided formats in the European Union under Spain’s chairmanship in this structure,” E. Nalbandian stated.

He said that a wide range of issues related to cooperation between Armenia and the European Union were discussed at the meeting with his Spanish counterpart, thoughts over regional issues were exchanged, including the latest developments in the Nagorno Karabakh settlement process. “European Union’s assistance to the negotiations proceeding within the framework of Minsk Group is praiseworthy,” E. Nalbandian mentioned.

 

Miguel Angel Moratinos, in his turn, attached importance to deepening of the Armenia-European Union relations. He expressed satisfaction that the Madrid Principles of Nagorno Karabakh settlement became strong under Spain’s chairmanship in OSCE. The representative of the country presiding in EU also mentioned that the European Union encourages the normalization process of Armenia-Turkey relations and calls for ratifying the Armenian-Turkish protocols without preconditions and in reasonable time constraints.

 

It should be mentioned that Miguel A. Moratinos will also visit Azerbaijan on March 2 and Georgia on March 3.

 

More sources:

 

Armtown: ‘Armenian and Spanish Foreign Ministers Met‘

Armenpress:’The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation is in Armenia on a regional visit‘