On November 26, Deputy Foreign Minister Garen Nazarian received the members of the of the EU Council’s Working Party on Eastern Europe and Central Asia (COEST). The delegation included officials from the European Commission, the European External Action Service and diplomats from over 20 EU Member States. The Head of the Armenian Mission to the EU and MFA officials also took part at the meeting.

During the meeting, Garen Nazarian made reference to the current state of the Armenia-EU partnership and the prospects for its development, as well as the latest domestic political developments in Armenia, upcoming snap parliamentary elections, relations with the neighboring states, the latest regional developments, the Nagorno Karabakh settlement process and topics related to the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the launch of the Eastern Partnership, envisaged for 2019. During the discussions Garen Nazarian answered a number of questions asked by the members of the Working Party.

COEST chairperson Jutta Edthofer highlighted that the EU is prepared to expand its partnership with Armenia, noting that the large number of the EU member states present is the best proof of the latters’ and EU’s interest in Armenia and that the EU is prepared to support the efforts of the new government aimed at the implementation of reforms.

The COEST delegation will be in Armenia until November 28 and will have meetings with the Deputy Prime Minister, sectoral ministries, as well as representatives of Armenia’s civil society, and will visit scientific and educational, as well as cultural institutions.