Any peace treaty, in order to be effective, must include provisions guaranteeing the integrity of Armenia's sovereign territory, the rights and security of the Armenian population living in Nagorno Karabakh and other conflict-affected areas, as well as the prompt and safe return of refugees and IDPs to their homes, according to a new report by the Foreign Affairs Committee, reports Armenpress.

The report welcomes the full entry into force of the Comprehensive and Enhanced EU-Armenia Partnership Agreement in March 2021 and Armenia's commitment to its implementation.

MEPs praise Armenia's reforms and democratization process in recent years which have made the country a leader in democracy in the region.

MEPs call on the EU and Armenia to cooperate closely in the implementation of future CEPA reforms as well, while emphasizing that the framework covers a wide range of areas.

The report notes Armenia's fight against crime and corruption and calls on the government to continue implementing reforms to strengthen democratic institutions, the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, despite the difficult international context and the challenges Armenia faces.

MPs stressed that the country's media environment remains polarized, expressing concern about cases of incitement to hatred and physical violence against journalists.

They call for efforts to improve media diversity and promote media literacy, stressing that no measures should lead to restrictions on journalists or freedom of expression.

The report on EU-Armenia relations reaffirms the European Parliament's commitment to peace in the region and to cooperation between Armenia and the EU in a number of important areas. As an important step in this direction, European Parliament welcomes the establishment of an EU mission to Armenia and call on the Azerbaijani government to guarantee the freedom and security of movement through the Lachin corridor, which has been blocked for nearly two months, said rapporteur Andrey Kovatchev after the vote.

The report was adopted by 55 votes to 0 with 5 abstentions.

After the vote of the Committee, the text will be submitted to the European Parliament for approval.