Armenia declares desire to get closer to EU
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan (GettyImages)
Armenia expresses support for Moldova and Ukraine's negotiations with the EU regarding membership. This development is welcomed not only by the country's government but also by the Armenian people, who share European aspirations, according to the Armenian Foreign Minister, Ararat Mirzoyan.
On the evening of December 11, the Minister participated in the Eastern Partnership ministerial meeting in Brussels, making a series of statements to highlight the country's desire for a pro-European orientation.
"Our government welcomes the European Commission's decision to propose to the European Council to start negotiations on the accession of Moldova and Ukraine and grant candidate status to Georgia. This decision is welcomed not only by the Armenian government but also by its people, who also have European aspirations," he said during his speech.
Mirzoyan emphasized that the process of democratization and the implementation of an ambitious reform program in Armenia have not stopped for a moment.
"The latest manifestation of our determination was the ratification of the Rome Statute in Armenia. By joining the International Court of Justice, Armenia contributed to strengthening the international legal system while affirming the sovereign right to make decisions based on its own national interests," highlighted the Armenian Foreign Minister.
Armenia's distancing from the pro-Russian bloc
In recent times, the Armenian authorities have essentially ignored any contacts with the Kremlin.
It was revealed that the Chairman of the country's parliament, Alen Simonyan, would not participate in the meeting within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Moscow on December 19. Thus, the Armenian authorities have repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of effective support from the CSTO in the international cooperation of its member countries.
Particularly, the latest complaint pertains to the presence of Russian military bases on Armenian territory, voiced during active hostilities in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
The CSTO members include Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
In the summer, Armenia refused to participate in the Shield-2023 exercises in Belarus under the auspices of the CSTO.
In late October, it became known that the Armenian authorities were considering the possibility of closing Russian state TV channels due to violations.
In early November, Russia stated that Armenia's participation in the summit on the Ukrainian peace formula in Malta was perceived as a demonstrative anti-Russian gesture.
