The European Union (EU) is not an empire, but an international organization based on shared values, the rule of law and the principles of peace, therefore it is completely open to those nations that are ready to establish a close and sincere partnership with it. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys stated during a press conference in Yerevan on Tuesday.

The Lithuanian FM proudly recalled that Lithuania was the first country in the world to recognize the independence of Armenia in 1991, and today bilateral political and diplomatic ties between the two countries are stronger than ever. Budrys emphasized that the signed declaration on strategic partnership significantly raises the bar of joint ambitions in such leading domains as educational technology, digitalization of the state system, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. According to him, Vilnius is ready to actively share its experience with Yerevan so that these agreements turn into tangible results and bring profound benefits to both peoples.

Kestutis Budrys placed special emphasis on the process of Armenia’s “Europeanization,” which, in his opinion, is valuable for Yerevan, first of all, as a tool for internal strengthening, modernization of institutions, and strengthening of democracy. He noted that Lithuania actively supports Yerevan in implementing the necessary reforms for visa liberalization. The Lithuanian FM expressed hope that this process will be accelerated as much as possible so that in the near future Armenian citizens will be able to travel almost without restrictions throughout the EU, enjoying all the advantages of free movement in a market with a population of half a billion.

Also, the Lithuanian FM expressed admiration for the high level of holding of international events that Yerevan recently hosted, including the European Political Community summit and the inaugural Armenia-EU Summit. He said that Armenia has shown itself not only as a hospitable country, but also as a confident, constructive, and proactive international player.

Turning to security, Budrys stated that Lithuania fully supports the peace process in the South Caucasus, and pointed to the positive developments in Armenia’s relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey. At the same time, he expressed bewilderment as to how the pursuit of peace and democracy could be perceived by anyone as a hostile move.

In conclusion, Kestutis Budrys noted that democratic countries are the richest in the world and never go to war with each other, therefore Armenia has all the legal grounds to become a full-fledged part of this stable and prosperous family.

Source: https://news.am/en/news/1036540