On May 13, Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Zohrab Mnatsakanyan participated in the meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership. The meeting began with opening remarks by High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini and Commissioner of the European Commission for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn.

Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan delivered a speech in which he highlighted the fact that the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership serves as a good opportunity to assess the achievements of the Eastern Partnership over the first ten years and to discuss the perspectives for cooperation. There are different views on, assessments and perceptions of the EaP among the six partners and EU member states. Nevertheless, the Eastern Partnership was also marked by the high level of progress made for the enhancement and deepening of relations between the European Union and the six Eastern Partnership countries. The Eastern Partnership is growing as a multilateral format for the partner countries having selected different paths and levels of involvement with the EU. The Eastern Partnership also serves as a major and strong platform for our bilateral cooperation with the EU,” Mnatsakanyan said.

In the context of Eastern Partnership for Armenia, Minister Mnatsakanyan set aside three factors, the first of which is the recognition and perception of the special position of Armenia as a country seeking more flexible and enlarged circles of cooperation based on the EU policy on “differentiation”, and this was marked by the signing of the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement. The second factor that Mnatsakanyan set aside is the importance of common values of Europe and Armenia hinged on a common heritage of civilization, as well as mutual aspirations for sustainable democracy, freedom, dialogue and cooperation. The third factor that Zohrab Mnatsakanyan set aside is the special contributions that Armenia makes to the development of democracy and human rights protection in Europe that were fully expressed through the Velvet Revolution that took place in Armenia last year.

“We are committed to strengthening our relations with the EU that are hinged on mutual respect, acknowledgement of interests and security considerations and acceptance of our responsibility for democratic governance and accountability, and at the same time, we expect the support of the EU to the promotion of our reforms, sustainable development and human contacts, including the ensuring of movement without a visa and cultural, educational and academic exchanges.”

Zohrab Mnatsakanyan voiced hope that the EU can play a major role in the development and implementation of more inclusive transport and energy projects with and between partners. In this context, Minister Mnatsakanyan attached more importance to the expansion of the digital, environmental, financial and other sector-specific agendas of the EaP.

Armenia’s foreign minister also stressed that devaluation of the priorities for promoting respect for and protection of human rights and the supremacy of democracy and law in the territory of the Eastern Partnership will hinder and cause severe damage to the concept paper and value-based relations of the Eastern Partnership, and so, Armenia is willing to work together to expand the capacities of the Eastern Partnership to ensure rule of law, sustainability of democratic institutions and human rights protection.

Touching upon the current challenges, Minister Mnatsakanyan emphasized that it is necessary to deepen the potential and capacities for cooperation in Europe in order to resist geopolitical competition and confrontation. Touching upon the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the foreign minister attached importance to the ongoing support of the EU to the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination and the peaceful settlement of the conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. The foreign minister emphasized that these principles and positions have been reaffirmed in the signed EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement.