RA President Serzh Sargsyan yesterday met with Wilfried Marten, a Belgian politician who founded the European People’s Party (EPP) in 1976 and has served as its President since 1992.

The EPP held its party summit yesterday and Sargsyan, in his capacity as President of Armenia’s Republican Party, was invited to attend. By the way, Turkey’s Justice and Democracy Party (AKP), is also an associate of EEP, and as such, Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also invited to attend EPP functions.

The EPP is a fusion of 75 centre-right European political parties from 40 countries.

The EPP is the most influential of the European parties. It has been the largest party in the European Parliament since 1999, the European Council since 2002 and is also by far the largest party in the current European Commission.

The two discussed expanding cooperation between the EPP and Armenia’s Republican Party and the steps being taken in Armenia to strengthen democracy. Regional issues of concern were also broached.

President Sargsyan left for Brussels on June 27 and has met with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice President of the European Commission Catherine Ashton.

President Sargsyan and Catherine Ashton spoke also about the May 6 parliamentary elections in Armenia, the NK peace process, and regional developments.