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On July 4 Hovik Abrahamyan, RA NA Speaker received Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council and the delegation led by him, who arrived in Armenia on regional visit.

Welcoming the high-ranking guest the NA Speaker highlighted his visit to the region and noted that it was a good opportunity to directly get familiarized with Armenia’s approaches and registered progress in Armenia and the region, as well as Armenia-European Union relationship. Hovik Abrahamyan underlined that the rapprochement with the European Union, as well as the bilateral contacts with European countries were the foreign policy priorities of our country, and documented with satisfaction that Armenia-European Union cooperation bilateral format had been considerably expanded, and its evidence was the political dialogue and mutual visits at high level.

The President of the European Council thanked the Speaker for giving an opportunity to him for addressing to the newly elected National Assembly of Armenia, and especially emphasized his visit regarding the ongoing active negotiations over Armenia-European Union Association Agreement which opened new perspectives in establishing contractual relations envisaging EU-Armenia more inclusive cooperation in future. Mr van Rompuy stressed the reforms in the spheres and the approximation of legislation, activation of negotiations over Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, process of entry visa facilitation and readmission treaties. Touching upon the parliamentary elections, the President of the European Council congratulated the Speaker on the occasion of holding competitive and transparent elections and noted that Armenia had registered serious and tangible success in this direction. Mr van Rompuy highlighted the deepening of EU-RA NA cooperation, noting that the year 2011 was an important and effective year and expressed conviction that the cooperation with the newly elected parliament would more develop and deepen.

In the course of the meeting both sides also touched upon regional problems, the NK conflict and the Armenian-Turkish relations. The NA Speaker noted that Armenia remained adherent to exclusively peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group framework. “We stress the necessity of implementation of events aimed at reinforcement of confidence. Unfortunately, Azerbaijan continuously refuses such approaches, as the snipers’ withdrawing from the line of contact, the creation of inquiry mechanisms of accidents, Armenia’s efforts directed to strengthening of ceasefire regime. Azerbaijan’s non-constructive approach also results in tension growth and new victims in the line of contact,” Hovik Abrahamyan noted and added that the adequate assessment of the international structures to Azerbaijan’s bellicose statements and unacceptable behaviour was necessary.

The President of the European Council also highlighted the settlement of the problem within the Minsk Group framework as a result of peaceful negotiations, underlining that the non-settled conflicts impeded the development of the region. He welcomed the Armenian authorities’ efforts in having peaceful region. Both sides stressed the role of parliamentary diplomacy in the settlement of conflicts.

In the course of the meeting other issues were also discussed.