YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas says Armenia, as well as the remaining Eastern Partnership countries, such as Georgia, Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine and Azerbaijan, are important partners of the European Union, Armenpress reports citing The Baltic Times.

In his remarks at the 6th annual conference on the Eastern Partnership in Tallinn, the Estonian PM said the Eastern Partnership must strive to be even more ambitious in the coming 10 years. According to him, the cooperation with the six eastern neighbors of the European Union is an important foreign policy priority for Estonia.

“Cooperation with our eastern partners, which is based on common values and mutual interests, has helped achieve a lot. It has helped to improve people's lives in those states -- it has created new jobs, developed the infrastructure, expanded young people's learning opportunities”, the Prime Minister said. 

Juri Ratas said they are ready to share with these countries their experience with establishing e-governance, implementing administrative reforms, strengthening civil society and developing media skills.

The Estonian PM also met with foreign minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and discussed issues relating to the bilateral relations and the cooperation with the EU. He reaffirmed Estonia’s readiness to assist Armenia in its integration with the EU.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan