Within the framework of European Union's Eastern Partnership Program $2 million will be assigned to Armenia for the upgrading of two Armenian- Georgian border check points in 2010.

On December 19, Arthur Baghdasaryan, Secretary of the National Security Council of Armenia, presented the Integrated Border Management Program at the session of the National Security Council. Within the framework of the program next year Armenia’s border infrastructures must correspond to the international standards.

EU’s funding is part of its Eastern Partnership Program, which aims to tie relations with six former Soviet Union republics – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and Belarus. One of the goals of the program is to secure the management of integrated borders corresponding to the EU standards, resulting in the creation of simplified visa regime.

As Gayane Gasparyan, press secretary of the National Security Council told ArmeniaNow, working groups of the National Security Council are estimating the needs of two border check-points- Bagratashen and Bavra.

“The modernization will be held due to primary needs. Most probably the techniques will be upgraded first,” Gasparyan says.

The working group of the National Security Council will develop Armenia’s border security strategy by 2010. It will be submitted to the approval of the National Security Council of Armenia, according to the established order.

Armenia has open borders with only two out of its four neighbors (Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey) – Iran and Georgia. The border with Georgia runs about 265 kilometers.