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ITAR-TASS, Russia
September 27, 2012 Thursday 11:00 PM GMT+4
EU Commissioner Fule holds talks with Armenian PM Sargsyan
YEREVAN September 27
EU Commissioner Stefan Fulemet with Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan to discuss a substantial agenda focusing on how to accelerate
reform and modernisation in Armenia for the benefit of the citizens
and the country and on how the EU can support those changes.
"We are building on solid foundations: there have already been some
very positive changes in Armenia. We recognised this by allocating an
additional ^15 million to Armenia under the 'more for more' principle
of the reviewed European Neighbourhood Policy," Fule said.
The sides signed some time ago two agreements launching 43 million
euros of support to help Armenia's institutions prepare for political
association and economic integration with the EU. "And we have
discussed ways of bringing Armenia's international partners together,
to focus external assistance on the most urgent national reforms,"
Fule said.
He noted progress on visa facilitation and readmission or in other
areas such as negotiations on an Association Agreement, including a
Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. "This Agreement is of utmost
importance in moving our relationship to a higher level. It goes far
beyond normal free trade agreement. Through the Association Agreement
the EU will open up portions of its acquis related to the internal
market. But beyond this it encompasses changes that affect citizens in
their daily lives, in areas like consumer protection, air quality, or
road safety," the commssioner said.
He stressed that this agreement is "about sharing values. It is about
freedom which unlocks the full potential of women and men. Offering
them protective umbrella of high democratic standards and real
guarantees for their rights".
Fule and Sargsyan also discussed the matrix of priority reform
actions, as a useful tool to summarise the most urgent reforms and how
to turn it into an effective instrument of support for Armenia's
reform process, the role of the Group of Experts in this and also
about increasing role of the civil society monitoring this process.
He believes that one of the most important priority reforms is in the
area of democracy. "With representatives of government and opposition,
I will be discussing a number of specific recommendations from the
OSCE/ODIHR which we would like to see implemented before the
Presidential elections next year. Successful elections really matter -
without them the continuous reform which we want to see would be
interrupted and the country's unity of purpose could be undermined,"
Fule said.
September 27, 2012 Thursday 11:00 PM GMT+4
EU Commissioner Fule holds talks with Armenian PM Sargsyan
YEREVAN September 27
EU Commissioner Stefan Fulemet with Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan to discuss a substantial agenda focusing on how to accelerate
reform and modernisation in Armenia for the benefit of the citizens
and the country and on how the EU can support those changes.
"We are building on solid foundations: there have already been some
very positive changes in Armenia. We recognised this by allocating an
additional ^15 million to Armenia under the 'more for more' principle
of the reviewed European Neighbourhood Policy," Fule said.
The sides signed some time ago two agreements launching 43 million
euros of support to help Armenia's institutions prepare for political
association and economic integration with the EU. "And we have
discussed ways of bringing Armenia's international partners together,
to focus external assistance on the most urgent national reforms,"
Fule said.
He noted progress on visa facilitation and readmission or in other
areas such as negotiations on an Association Agreement, including a
Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. "This Agreement is of utmost
importance in moving our relationship to a higher level. It goes far
beyond normal free trade agreement. Through the Association Agreement
the EU will open up portions of its acquis related to the internal
market. But beyond this it encompasses changes that affect citizens in
their daily lives, in areas like consumer protection, air quality, or
road safety," the commssioner said.
He stressed that this agreement is "about sharing values. It is about
freedom which unlocks the full potential of women and men. Offering
them protective umbrella of high democratic standards and real
guarantees for their rights".
Fule and Sargsyan also discussed the matrix of priority reform
actions, as a useful tool to summarise the most urgent reforms and how
to turn it into an effective instrument of support for Armenia's
reform process, the role of the Group of Experts in this and also
about increasing role of the civil society monitoring this process.
He believes that one of the most important priority reforms is in the
area of democracy. "With representatives of government and opposition,
I will be discussing a number of specific recommendations from the
OSCE/ODIHR which we would like to see implemented before the
Presidential elections next year. Successful elections really matter -
without them the continuous reform which we want to see would be
interrupted and the country's unity of purpose could be undermined,"
Fule said.