On Thursday 21 June, Armenia's Foreign Affairs Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan called for progress in the discussions between the EU and his country on visa liberalisation.
"We exchanged views on the visa liberalisation dialogue. We are taking steps on our side towards the successful implementation of the Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreement. We are looking forward to move on with this agenda", he told press at the end of the first EU-Armenia partnership Council, adding that visa liberalisation facilitated contact between people.
The implementation of visa facilitation and readmission is a precondition for the opening of a dialogue on visa liberalisation.
When questioned about the launch of such a dialogue, which reportedly has the final aim of a visa-free regime, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini refused to give a precise timetable. While she recognised that the implementation of visa facilitation and readmission was well underway, she stated that the decision to open the dialogue was for the Council.
Mogherini underlined the ongoing reforms in Armenia. "The European Union is ready to continue supporting Armenia's reform process across a range of issues, including, not only (the) fight against corruption or the reform of public administration and the judiciary (...) but also the related and interconnected issues of economic development and (the) business environment, as well as the promotion of human rights and measures to restore trust in elections", she said. With this in mind, the EU has allocated over €160 million in financial assistance to Armenia for the 2017-2021 period. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)