The Armenian Government is awaiting the reciprocation of an extended hand to Baku to sign the Peace agreement, Head of the Armenian Delegation to EU Tigran Balayan said in an address to the Eastern Partnership Senior Officials Meeting in Brussels.
“Connectivity is the Coal and Steel Union momentum for the South Caucasus, that is why despite all grievances, the Armenian Government is awaiting the reciprocation of an extended hand to Baku to sign the Peace agreement and open the era of cooperation and prosperity to the region,” the Armenian envoy said.
Referring to the Crossroads of Peace initiative of the Armenian Government, he said it could play an important role in fostering the interconnection and mutually beneficial cooperation amongst EaP countries and beyond.
“This is a project anchored on the principles of sovereignty, security, reciprocity and equality, envisaging the development of regional communications by means of renovating, building, and operating roads, railways, pipelines, cables, and electricity lines with an ambition of fostering regional cooperation. We stand ready to take further joint steps to use the huge potential of the Crossroads of Peace, also by including it in the Global Gateway initiative of the EU,” he noted.
“Armenia also believes that the time has come to end the rivalry in our region and pave a way for peaceful coexistence for our future generations. We are convinced that the EU is very well positioned to use its soft power to enhance peace and stability in our region, by merely making sure that regional projects are inclusive and do not sideline any country. One such example is the Black Sea Submarine Cable Project. This is a regional communication project that has all the potential to become a platform for the regional stakeholders to cooperate over a mutually beneficial initiative. Being engaged in a project that can generate mutual benefit is one of the best CSBMs that has proved its efficiency. No one knows this better than the European countries – exactly this approach was laid in the roots of the creation of the European Union,” Tigran Balayan stated.
“Eastern Partnership is a well established format where we can cooperate in addressing common challenges outlined in the working plan through better coordination, sharing best practices and peer learning. Promoting greater cooperation between participating countries in areas such as FIMI and disinformation, democratic and societal resilience, confidence building and strengthening civil society and youth are of utmost importance as well,” he added.
In conclusion, he reiterated Armenia’s interest in hosting Eastern Partnership events.
