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On July 8 the Chairman of the RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Artak Zakaryan met with Ambassador Dirk Jan Kop, Special Representative for Europe and Eastern Partnership at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

At the guest’s request, touching upon Armenia’s foreign policy, Artak Zakaryan has noted that balanced approaches towards cooperation in political, social and other spheres continues remaining on the agenda of the RA foreign policy.

Mr Zakaryan presented the further opportunities of cooperation within the framework of the EU Eastern Partnership programme after the decision of Armenia’s joining the Customs Union (CU) and the Eurasian Economic Union. Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union cannot negatively reflect on Armenia-European Union bilateral and multilateral cooperation, as Armenia is ready to continue and develop the cooperation formed with the European Union member countries in the spheres of mutual interests.

The Ambassador highlighted the problems of cooperation of the EU with the RA. He has noted that he understands, shares and treats the RA decision with respect, as well as he has touched upon the current problems of the Eastern Partnership.

Referring to the present stage of the membership to the Eurasian Economic Union, Mr Zakaryan noted that the RA had completely taken the measures envisaged by the roadmap for the accession to the Customs Union and other problems should not come up and impede that process. It was mentioned that now the problem is in the CU member partner countries’ discussion field.

In the course of the meeting Mr Zakaryan presented Azerbaijan’s deconstructive policy endangering the region in the process of the NKR problem settlement, as well as Turkey’s inadequate behaviour in bringing about a rapprochement between Armenia and Turkey.

The fact, that the RA could play a bridging role between the different economic unions was noted, taking into consideration the flexible and balanced relations.