State Secretary for EU Affairs: normalisation relations between Armenia and Turkey important for security and stability in the region

Brussels, 15 April. During a debate at the European Parliament (EP), the Foreign Ministry's Parliamentary State Secretary for EU Affairs, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, emphasised the necessity to promote the development of constructive relations between Armenia and Turkey, thereby contributing to security, stability and cooperation in the region. At the EP, the Parliamentary State Secretary for EU Affairs represented the Council of the EU in a discussion devoted to the commemoration of Armenians who fell victims under the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica pointed out that the EU Council is committed to continue supporting the normalisation of Armenian-Turkish relations and invited both countries to use every "window of opportunity" towards achieving this aim. The Parliamentary State Secretary for EU Affairs also stressed that the EU's further engagement with Armenia and Turkey is also high on the Latvian Presidency agenda.

In this context, she also noted the EU's financial support for activities aimed at promoting confidence and people-to-people contacts between Armenia and Turkey, and highlighted the two million Euro project supporting civil society efforts launched under the Instrument for Stability.

The EP had included the debate "Armenian genocide 100th anniversary" in its agenda in advance of commemorative events in Yerevan on 24 April.

The EP convenes for a one day mini-plenary session in Brussels on a monthly basis, in addition to monthly plenary sessions in Strasbourg.