Thursday, December 21 2017 17:03

ArmInfo. The Armenia-EU Interparliamentary Cooperation Commission welcomes the signing of the Agreement on Enhanced and Comprehensive Cooperation between the RA and EU, calling the document historic, the statement of the commission adopted at the end of the 17th meeting in Yerevan stated.

The statement notes that the document opens new horizons for  Armenia-EU cooperation. The Commission also encourages the parties to  be consistent in implementing the provisions of the Agreement.

The document also calls on the parliaments of European countries to  ratify the agreement in a short time.  The Commission considers  promising the fact that Armenia has signed an agreement with the EU  as a member of the Eurasian Economic Union.

The statement notes Armenia's progress towards democratic reforms,  however, there is also a provision on the need for their continuation  and intensification. Despite some progress in the field of democratic  reforms, the Commission deplores the number of unresolved problems in  this field, in the resolution of which Armenia can rely on all EU  assistance.  The commission also reports that the EU will provide 160  million euros to Armenia from 2017 to 2020 for economic development,  implementation of democratic reforms, environmental and energy  purposes. The emphasis is on diversification of the energy sphere and  provision of safe energy sources.

The authors of the statement as a whole positively assessed the  elections held in Armenia in April, pointing out some shortcomings.  The statement also calls for ensuring gender equality in Armenia,  taking full advantage of the potential of women in various fields and  to eradicate the negative trends and processes that exist in this  area. The Commission also calls on to fully combat the manifestations  of family violence, stressing that Armenia in this process can fully  rely on EU assistance.

The Commission also calls on the EU to increase assistance to Armenia  in order to implement the provisions of the Agreement on an expanded  and comprehensive partnership. The statement emphasizes that a  special emphasis in the implementation of financial programs of the  EU will be put on democratic reforms and the protection of human  rights.

The Commission expresses its satisfaction with the assistance of  Armenia in the issue of the reception and integration of Syrian  refugees.