YEREVAN, January 13. /ARKA/. Today, president Serzh Sargsyan received the head of the European Union Delegation to the Republic of Armenia, ambassador Peter Switalski, to discuss a set of issues pertinent to the Armenia-EU relations, Sargsyan’s press office reported.



It said Serzh Sargsyan stressed once again that Armenia’s cooperation and development of her relations with the European Union remain a priority for Armenia’s foreign policy. The president expressed gratitude to the EU for the assistance in carrying out reforms in Armenia and underscored that especially after the constitutional changes Armenia has entered a new stage of large-scale reforms.



Serzh Sargsyan expressed hope that assistance provided by the EU for the implementation of the reforms will be continuous, considering the efficiency of the assistance provided so far for the country.



Ambassador Peter Switalski also expressed hope that in 2016, the Armenia-EU bilateral relations will acquire a new quality and before the end of the year, negotiations on the new comprehensive Armenia-European Union legal document will have been concluded.



Ambassador Switalski reiterated the EU’s interest in assisting Armenia in the development of cooperation and implementation of the reforms.



Armenia and EU launched talks on a new framework agreement on December 7, 2015 after EU Foreign Affairs Council authorized the European Commission and the High Representative to open negotiations on a new legal basis for relations with Armenia on October 13.



Armenia and the EU were supposed to sign the Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) at a 2013 November Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius but on September 3 Armenia’s president Serzh Sargsyan announced that the country was going to become part of the Russian-led Customs Union. The new agreement will replace the current agreement on partnership and cooperation between the EU and Armenia.-0-







16:40 13.01.2016