EU-ARMENIAN HUMAN RIGHTS DIALOGUE TAKES PLACE IN YEREVAN
armradio.am
10.12.2009 17:15
On 9 December 2009 the first Human Rights Dialogue between Armenia
and the European Union took place in Yerevan. As of today, European
Union is engaged in dedicated human rights dialogues with over thirty
countries around the world. The new EU – Armenia human rights dialogue
signals that the EU and Armenia have stepped up their engagement on
human rights.
The first EU – Armenia human rights dialogue was held in an open,
friendly and constructive atmosphere, with an exchange on a wide range
of issues of mutual interest and concern, as well as discussions on
possibilities for concrete cooperation in the field of human rights.
The Armenian delegation was headed by Mrs. Karine Kazinian, Deputy
Foreign Minister, and included Mr. Nikolay Arustamyan, Deputy Minister
of Justice, together with the representatives from the Office of
the Public Prosecutor, the Police, the Foreign Ministry and other
government departments. The EU delegation was headed by Mr. Jan Axel
Nordlander, Sweden’s Ambassador for Human Rights, and included Ms
Riina Kionka, the Personal Representative for Human Rights of the
High Representative, Mr. Rolf Timans, Head of Human Rights Unit at
the European Commission and Ms. Silvia Escobar, Spain’s Ambassador
for Human Rights as incoming Presidency of the EU.
The agenda for the first human rights dialogue provided for discussions
on the national framework for the protection of human rights including
the reform of the judicial system and the enforcement of national
human rights legislation. The agenda also included a part on civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights. Cooperation in
international fora for the protection of human rights was also on
the agenda.
On the day before the dialogue, the EU delegation also met with
the Human Rights Defender(Ombudsman) of the Republic of Armenia,
representatives of civil society and international organizations
active in Armenia as well as representatives of the opposition.
The EU and Armenia agreed to hold the next EU – Armenian Human Rights
Dialogue meeting in 2010.
On the 10th December, to mark the celebration of the International
Human Rights Day, the EU delegation participated in a roundtable
organized by the Human Rights Defender of Armenia in cooperation with
the OSCE and the UN Offices in Armenia.