The new document on EU-Armenia cooperation will be prepared by December of this year.

25 / 02 / 2014

Today, under the co-chairmanship of Secretary of the National Security Council Arthur Baghdasaryan and the head of the EU delegation in Armenia, Ambassador Traian Hristea, the 15th meeting of the Council of the EU Advisory Group in Armenia was held.
The meeting was attended by high-ranking officials from the Presidential Administration, the Government and the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, as well as representatives of embassies and international organizations, including UNDP.
Opening the meeting, Arthur Baghdasaryan, in particular, noted: “We are summing up the results of the work done, as well as making plans for the future. I would like to express my gratitude to the members of the EU Advisory Group in Armenia for their assistance in the reform process. I believe that throughout all these years our cooperation has been quite successful and there are all the prerequisites for further interaction. ”
Arthur Baghdasaryan informed that today at the meeting of the National Security Council a new Armenia-EU action program will be discussed. “The program is aimed at continuing reforms in approximately 160 areas that cover all spheres of state and public life in our country,” said Arthur Baghdasaryan.
The Secretary of the National Security Council thanked the partners from the EU, the Advisory Group for the joint work, active recommendations, which made it possible to have a successful document.
“This is a very good base for further work on a new document on Armenia-EU cooperation, and we think that we will be able to prepare this document and form our agenda for the meeting of the EU Council scheduled for December this year,” said Arthur Baghdasaryan, adding that they turned to the European partners with a request to extend the mission of the EU Advisory Group in Armenia and there is already a positive response.
In turn, the head of the EU delegation in Armenia, Ambassador Traian Hristea noted that the EU is ready to further promote the ongoing reforms in Armenia.
Summing up the work of the group, among the achievements, the diplomat pointed to the agreement on visa facilitation and readmission between the EU and Armenia that came into force on January 1 of this year. According to Traian Hristea, this is a very serious step. During the previous phase of the program, the last quarter of 2013, the group was actively involved in matters of justice, democracy and human rights. In general, Traian Hristea praised the work of the group.
The EU Consultative Group submitted a quarterly progress report for October-December 2013, a refined needs assessment document, and a work plan for January-April 2014.
The EU Advisory Group Council expressed satisfaction with the quarterly report for October-December 2013, which highlighted the group’s consultations in the areas of the rule of law, law enforcement, democratic governance and human rights.