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The Chairman of the RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Armen Ashotyan being on a four-day visit in Brussels from January 28 had meetings with the Members of the European Parliament, the heads of the political factions and the representatives of Committee on Foreign Relations.

Armen Ashotyan met with the Vice President of the European Parliament Heidi Hautala. The sides highlighted the signing of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between Armenia and the European Union, expressing conviction that the Agreement would be a new impetus for the expansion of the relations with Europe ensuring further firm basis for sustainable development and partnership.

In the course of the meeting the parties highlighted the further active and constructive cooperation in the Euronest PA, as well as in the RA-EU Parliamentary Cooperation Committee (PCC). In this context the importance of having parliamentary cooperation format of new level was underlined and it would be directed to the expansion of the parliamentary component of cooperation between the EU and Armenia.

The interlocutors touched upon the peaceful settlement process of Nagorno Karabakh problem. Armen Ashotyan has noted that Armenia continues remaining faithful to its commitment of solving the problem exclusively through peaceful means. The Committee Chairman highly assessed the efforts of the EU relating to the conflict settlement, the preservation of the circle of the existing agreed negotiating formats and processes. He emphasized the Nagorno Karabakh people’s involvement in the settlement process.

Armen Ashotyan has also met with the representative of the EPP Faction in the European Parliament László Tőkés, who is the co-rapporteur of the report on Armenia in the European Parliament. The Committee Chairman presented the recent developments of Armenia’s political life, touched upon the importance of signing the new Agreement with the EU and the easy process of its ratification in the national parliaments.

Within the framework of the visit Armen Ashotyan also met with Mrs Rebecca Harms, Co-President of the Euronest PA.

During the meeting the sides discussed numerous issues concerning the Eastern Partnership format, highlighted the role of the EU-Armenia relations in ensuring regional security and stability.

Armen Ashotyan invited Rebecca Harms to visit Armenia to take part in the Third Global Forum dedicated to the 70^th Anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

Armen Ashotyan’s meetings continue in the European Parliament.