Armenia wants the European Union Mission in Armenia (EUMA) to get enhanced and have a stronger mandate, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Paruyr Hovhannisyan said.
He said that there have been positive reactions in this regard from the EU.
Hovhannisyan was speaking at a parliamentary committee hearing on the 2024 state budget. Parliamentarian Arman Yeghoyan asked him whether there is an agenda of political integration with the EU.
The Deputy Foreign Minister cited Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s speech in the European Parliament that Armenia is ready to be closer to the EU, as close as the EU would consider it possible. This has always been Armenia’s position, Hovhannisyan said.
“The cooperation has gotten stronger politically. Moreover, the launch of the first ever Armenia-EU Political and Security Affairs Dialogue took place this year. The next phase is to take place in November in Brussels, the first one took place in Yerevan in January. Of course, the enhancement of the monitoring mission and strengthening of its mandate are also in our agenda, and there have been positive reactions from the EU and its member states,” Hovhannisyan said.
The Deputy FM said that the level of political visits is unprecedented.
An agreement will soon be signed on the status and privileges of the European Union Mission in Armenia (EUMA), Hovhannisyan said.
“As a new sector, I have to mention also the political and security sector,” he said in a parliamentary committee discussion on the 2024 budget when asked on the relations with EU.
“We’ve already recorded progress in this matter, in terms of stipulating the status of the European Union Mission in Armenia. A relevant agreement will be signed soon,” Hovhannisyan said.
Hovhannisyan said the agreement pertains to the status and privileges of the monitors. “We do this in case of every international organization,” he explained.
The issue of increasing the number of observers and adding new possible functions are being discussed.
