Zohrab Mnatsakanyan: Liberalization of visas with EU 'key issue on Armenia's agenda'

The liberalization of visas with the EU is an matter of every moment, an extremely serious priority for Armenia and a key issue on our agenda, Foreign Minister Zohrabb Mnatsakanyan said in Brussels.

Speaking to reporters after a high-level meeting dedicated to the 10th anniversary Eastern Partnership Programme, Armenia's top diplomat described the issue as a major geopolitical choice and a ''model stemming from the interests of our people.''

Agreeing that the dialogues are principally very important, the minister noted that the liberalization alone is not the only essential tool potentially strengthening human contacts. ''That's an extremely important issue for us. But it is not the only tool, as we give attention to, and try to develop, also the other opportunities dealing with the contacts in educational, cultural, scientific and other circles, and establishing closer ties between our citizens and their colleagues on that continent to expand the existing opportunities,'' he added.

But the minister did not mention any specific timeframes when asked to comment on the expected date for concluding the visa liberalization deal. ''That's an ongoing process. What matters essentially is to have the incentive to estimate our capacities to initiate all that. We are confident that we have a sufficient progress to push ahead with our agenda combining all this in an attempt to speed up our efforts. For us, I repeat again, it is essentially a matter of principle,'' Mnatsakanyan said.