EU wishes to continue cooperation with Armenia; Helga Schmid
13.09.2013,
16:16
The European Union wishes to continue cooperation with Armenia, Deputy Secretary General for Political Affairs in the EU's European External Action Service, Helga Schmid, said Friday at a meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian in Yerevan, Armenian foreign ministry said.
YEREVAN, September 13. /ARKA/. The European Union wishes to continue cooperation with Armenia, Deputy Secretary General for Political Affairs in the EU's European External Action Service, Helga Schmid, said Friday at a meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian in Yerevan, Armenian foreign ministry said.
On September 3 Armenian president said his country would join the Russian-led Customs Union, although Armenia had negotiated for almost 4 years an association agreement with the EU.
Nalbandian noted that Armenia aims to continue intensive cooperation with the EU on possible directions, as evidenced by an informal gathering of foreign and education ministers of countries included in Eastern Partnership program of the EU in Yerevan ahead of a Vilnius summit.
The ministry said also the sides exchanged views on topical issues of international agenda.
The Eastern partnership was initiated by Poland and Sweden and was approved by EU summit in Brussels in 2008. The official approval of the initiative took place in Prague in May 2009. The aim of the program is EU’s rapprochement with Ukraine, Armenia, Moldova, Georgia , Azerbaijan and Belarus. The program envisages increasing political counteraction and broad integration of the mentioned post-soviet countries, as well as provision of financial support and strengthening of their energy security. -0-
