The visit was taking place on the eve of the first round of the EU negotiations of association agreements with Georgia and Armenia. The talks addressed the two countries’ relations with the European Union, including a broad spectrum of current issues such as Eastern Partnership implementation and visa facilitation for citizens of South Caucasus. The Ministers also discussed forms of Poland’s potential expert assistance to Armenia and Georgia relating to negotiations of association agreements and visa liberalisation arrangements with the EU. During his visit, Minister Sikorski also outlined the priorities of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2011.

Other issues to come up for discussion included conflicts in the South Caucasus breakaway regions, with a special attention paid to Poland’s involvement in the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) in Georgia. Minister Sikorski’s visit was an expression of Poland’s support for Georgia’s territorial integrity, full implementation of the provisions of Medvedev-Sarkozy agreement and a peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Ministers also discussed Georgia’s and Armenia’s relations with Russia and Turkey.

The visit’s programme also covered selected bilateral cooperation issues. Minister Sikorski presented the offer of Polish strategic companies – potential entrants into the Georgian and Armenian markets. Minister Sikorski also set out proposals for cooperation between Armenian, Georgian and Polish ministries in the field of culture, science, environment protection and justice and home affairs.

During Minister Sikorski’s visit to Armenia, taking place a day after the Polish-Armenian Economic Commission have begun work, a direct flight connection between Warsaw and Yerevan was inaugurated.

Piotr Paszkowski
Press Spokesman

See also:

• PHOTO GALLERY - Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorki visits Georgia and Armenia