5th meeting of the EU-Armenia Civil Society Platform held in Brussels

 YEREVAN, OCTOBER 16, ARMENPRESS. The 5th meeting of the EU-Armenia Civil Society Platform took place in Brussels on October 15, chaired by Lusine Hakobyan and Simo Tiainen. According to Armenpress' Brussels correspondent,  representatives of the European Commission, the European External Action Service (EEAS), the European Economic and Social Committee, and leaders of various civil society organizations from Armenia and the European Union were present at the meeting.

Ambassador Tigran Balayan, Head of the Mission of Armenia to the EU, stressed that Armenia is committed to achieving peace. He noted that if international partners take a principled stance, it would be possible to sign the already agreed text of the peace treaty with Azerbaijan and secure the release of Armenian prisoners of war and hostages unlawfully held in Baku.

Balayan emphasized the role of civil society in advancing the Armenia-EU partnership. The Ambassador also highlighted the achievements of recent months, made possible through joint efforts, and the steps taken by the Armenian government to deepen cooperation with the EU.

EU officials and representatives of non-governmental organizations present at the meeting positively assessed the reform process in Armenia and assured that they will continue to work consistently to strengthen relations and address the issues raised. 

The EU-Armenia Civil Society Platform was established in accordance with Article 366 of the Comprehensive and Extended Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and consists of representatives from both the European Union and Armenian civil society.

The purpose of the civil society platform is to provide consultations to the Armenian authorities on the implementation of CEPA, to monitor the Agreement’s execution, and to establish contacts and connections between the civil societies of Armenia and the European Union.

Lilit Gasparyan