Armenia, EU closer than never before – says Mogherini

Armenia and the European Union have never been closer than today – High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said in an address to the 220 young participants from 24 countries of the European Planning Conference who arrived to Yerevan, Armenia.

“Dear friends of the European Students Forum,

Thank you for your invitation, I really wish I could be with you today. I know this is the first time that you hold your annual meeting in this part of Europe, and the moment you’ve chosen is just perfect – Armenia and the European Union have never been closer than today. Last November we had a very important summit in Brussels with our six partners in Eastern Europe. And with Armenia in particular we signed three groundbreaking agreements. We signed a new partnership agreement that we hope can make the life of our citizens much easier both in Armenia and in the European Union. For instance, if you are a young Armenian engineer it will be much easier for you to work inside the European Union and vice versa. Armenian universities will now have access to the European Union’s program for Research and Innovation – that is the biggest international research program in the world.

We also signed new agreements to improve connections between the European Union and Armenia both by plane and on the road. We dream of a European continent where borders are not an obstacle but a gateway for young people like you. And we have asked civil society and civil society organizations in particular to help us make these agreements truly successful with your suggestions and recommendations,” she said.