Press Office
Athens, 26 January 2024
1st Vice-President of Parliament Ioannis Plakiotakis meets with Ambassador of Armenia to Athens Tigran Mkrtchyan
The 1st Vice-President of the Parliament, Ioannis Plakiotakis, held a courtesy meeting today with the Ambassador of the Republic o Armenia to Athens, Tigran Mkrtchyan.
During the meeting, both sides recognised the emphasis placed on their bilateral and multilateral cooperation at the highest level, especially the high level contacts in recent months and confirmed the possibility to further develop cooperation in multiple fields. Mr Plakiotakis spoke about the systematic implementation of enhanced cooperation in the framework of the EU, in order to make maximum use of every opportunity offered by the European community to countries that are in favour of a partnership with the EU. Furthermore, he noted that Greece encourages Armenia's reform efforts in an array of crucial areas of the EU, which are linked to the fundamental principles of the EU. Regarding Nagorno-Karabakh, the 1st Vice-President reiterated Greece's condemnation of any use of violence, expressing his concern over the resulting humanitarian issue and ways to address it. He made reference to the aid provided by Greece in the form of medical equipment and welcomed the relevant EU decision for humanitarian funding. Inter alia, Mr Plakiotakis noted the significance of any positive development in the talks between Yerevan and Bakou, in support of the confidence-building measures, agreeing with the Ambassador that there is a need to support the peace process between the two neighbouring countries. Lastly, the 1st Vice President commended Armenia's ongoing support towards the Republic of Cyprus. He also noted that it is important to develop cooperation between states and to take initiatives, such as the deployment of the European monitoring mission, to consolidate international peace and normalcy, especially in light of the significant upheaval in the wider region of the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula.
