European Council President welcomes position of Armenian side to solve border crisis through peaceful means

YEREVAN, JUNE 2, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan met with President of the European Council Charles Michel during his working visit in Brussels, Pashinyan’s Office told Armenpress.During the talk the officials discussed the process of the Armenia-European Union partnership, the programs envisaged by the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) which entered into force from March 1, in particular those relating to strengthening institutional reforms and democracy in Armenia.Nikol Pashinyan said Armenia attaches great importance to the active cooperation within the frames of the CEPA’s Roadmap, which, he said, will contribute to the fulfillment of reforms in democratic values, human rights, anti-corruption fight, rule of law, public administration and justice.Charles Michel welcomed the reforms that launched in Armenia in the past three years and the government’s steps aimed at strengthening democracy. In this respect he highlighted the effective implementation of the CEPA and emphasized the EU readiness to further deepen and expand partnership in the fulfillment of the Armenian government’s priorities.Pashinyan presented details from the situation in the South Caucasus after the recent Artsakh war, as well as the current situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. He stressed the necessity of withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops from Armenia’s sovereign territory and provided information about the ongoing diplomatic and negotiating actions on this direction, and his proposal made during the session of the Security Council on May 27 aimed at solving the situation.Pashinyan attached importance to the necessity of properly responding to Azerbaijan’s provocative actions by the international community, taking actions to ensure the return of the Armenian prisoners of war, and also welcomed the adoption of the resolution by the European Parliament which urges Azerbaijan to immediately and unconditionally release all Armenian POWs.The European Council President welcomed the position of the Armenian side to solve the border issue through peaceful, political means and expressed the EU’s readiness to support this process. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan