On July 4 Mr. Rene van der Linden, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, who was in Armenia with two-day visit, met with the members of the NA Standing Committee on European Integration. Ms. Bojana Urumova, Special Representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to Armenia, was present at the meeting.

Welcoming the guests and highly assessing the PACE President’s visit to Armenia, Mr. Avet Adonts, Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on European Integration, presented the structure of the newly formed committee, chaired by him, its fields of activity and noted that in the works of the committee great place is given to the issues of the European Integration as well as to the obligations taken by Armenia in the Сouncil of Еurope. It was noted that our country tries to be rapidly integrated into Europe, and all the organizations with which Armenia cooperates, seriously promote this process. It was also noted that the great part of the legislative initiatives of the National Assembly refers to the process of the European integration. The participation of Armenia in all the initiatives of the European Union carried out in the region was highlighted.

Mr. Rene van der Linden, PACE President, emphasized the importance of the establishment of the Committee, noting that he heads the Committee on European Integration in the Parliament of the Netherlands and he often urges other committees to discuss the issues related to Europe, which he also advised to do to his colleague. He noted that Armenia is in the procedure of monitoring in the СoЕ, which should be considered not as a kind of punishment but as assistance to the process of the European integration. The PACE President touched upon the necessity of freedom of press and of the independence of the judicial system. The establishment of good-neighbourly relations with the neighbours and the regional cooperation was highlighted in the process of European integration. According to Mr. Rene van der Linden, Turkey should join the European Union, but it should comply with the Copenhagen standards, except the borders, it should provide freedom of religion, etc. In his opinion, the membership of Russia in the EU is also important, as without Turkey and Russia it will be impossible to provide stability and progress in the region.

According to Mr. Adonts, Armenia is interested in the membership of Turkey in the EU, but only in case if that will be objective, but not a political necessity, and Turkey will become EU member, when it will completely comply with the Copenhagen principles when the political but not the military leadership of Turkey will be engaged in the issues of the European integration.

Other issues were also discussed at the meeting.