Today Armenia is heart of Europe; very important messages will be delivered from Yerevan: Vahan Kostanyan
The 8th summit of the European Political Community brings together issues of national importance for Armenia and topics that are currently of considerable interest for discussions at the EU level. This was stated in a live broadcast of 'Lurer' by Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan, presenting the topics to be discussed within the framework of the summit held in Armenia.
“The main areas of discussion will be hybrid threats and democratic resilience, connectivity, green transformation and energy,” said the Deputy Minister.
In response to the question of how much the summit brings Armenia closer to the EU, the Deputy Foreign Minister stated:
“This is one of the key events taking place on the European continent, held twice a year, and today it can be said that Armenia is the heart of Europe, and the main political debate taking place in Europe is generally focused in Armenia. Very important messages will be delivered from Yerevan.”
Regarding Armenia’s expectations from the summit, the Deputy Minister said:
“For us, it is very important to increase our international engagement and Armenia’s image. Such events create the best foundation for that.”
Vahan Kostanyan also reminded that this year, in addition to the EPC, COP17 will also be held in Armenia, along with other important events such as the Armenia–EU summit, the state visit of the President of France, and the now annual Yerevan Dialogue.
“We are trying to expand the horizon where Armenia has a voice in international platforms and increase Armenia’s visibility in international media, and today we see that this is becoming a reality,” he said.
In response to the question of whether a joint statement is expected at the end of the summit and what it would imply, the Deputy Foreign Minister clarified that the EPC format does not foresee the adoption of joint declarations, and it is more a platform for exchange of ideas.
“Often, when different delegations focus on agreeing on texts, there is no time left for open and honest dialogue and discussions, whereas in this format we are primarily focused on dialogue and discussion,” he said.
It should be noted that 43 high-level delegations, with around 500 participants, are taking part in the 8th EPC summit.