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AZG Armenian Daily #212, 15/11/2008
"NEW PERSPECTIVES OPEN IN ROMANIAN - ARMENIAN RELATIONS"
Interview with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania Lazar Comanescu
- Mr. Minister, the Armenian - Romanian interstate relations are
dynamically developing and there is an active political
dialogue. The official visit of the president of Romania to Armenia
in October 2006 served as impetus for these developments. What new
developments can you expect during your visit and what are the
issues important for the Romanian side for encouraging the relations
with Armenia?
- The political and diplomatic dialogue between Romania and the
Republic of Armenia can be assessed as excellent. Since the
establishment of our diplomatic relations, in December 1991, there
have been eight presidential visits. There have also been numerous
visits at the level of ministers of foreign affairs. These contacts
have always given an impetus to the enhancement of the bilateral
cooperation, ensuring a better knowledge of our mutual interests and
providing the opportunity for extending the legal cooperation
framework between Romania and Armenia.
The interest of Romania in the enlarged Black Sea region is well
known. Armenia also belongs to this region and I would like to
underline here the support Yerevan is providing to initiatives
designed to deepen the collaboration between the states of the region
to the benefit of the stability and security in the area. I refer
inter alia to the initiative ?Black Sea Forum for Dialogue and
Partnership" and the launching of the Black Sea Euro-region and to the
ENPI-CBC Black Sea Program, hosted by the Management Authority of
Romania. It will be my pleasure to comment further down on the
Armenian chairmanship in office of the BSEC.
The accession to NATO and EU has increased the role of Romania at the
Eastern border of these organizations and has enhanced the cooperation
with the states lying eastward to this border. The direct relations
with Armenia may receive additional value through the participation of
Romania to the EU's Neighbourhood Program and NATO's Individual
Partnership Action Plan, as Armenia is an active player of these
initiatives.
We are glad Armenia has chosen to deepen its relations with the EU and
with the Western Community as a whole. We believe that, through
intense individual efforts at both the internal and the external level
` continuing reforms, strengthening democracy and the rule of law,
reinforcing dialogue with the European and North-Atlantic institutions
and the EU Member States `Armenia will move closer to the objectives
of visa facilitation and free trade agreement with the EU.
In addition, I would like to mention that both Romania and Armenia are
members of several European and international organizations: BSEC,
Council of Europe, OSCE and UN. Within these bodies we have many
possibilities to cooperate, bearing in mind that what is in the
interest of the international community or of the region is also good
for us.
Romania supports the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, according to the principles of international law and the UN
and OSCE relevant resolutions. Romania's position has been consistent
with our general approach to the frozen conflicts in the region.
- About 40 agreements have been signed between the two
countries. There have been a number of high-level visits. In June
2006, President of the Republic of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan,
participated in the "Black Sea Forum for Dialogue and Partnership"
initiated by Romania. Could we expect another meeting on the level
of Presidents?
- I have already presented the record of the high-level dialogue
between Romania and the Republic of Armenia, since the proclamation
of Armenia's independence. The Romanian side has already sent an
invitation to the President of the Republic of Armenia to pay a
visit to Romania, in response to the Romanian president's visit of
2006. The visit will take place at a time convenient for both sides,
possibly in October 2009.
- The establishment of the Romania-Armenia Chamber of Commerce and
Industry was important with regard to the deepening of bilateral
economic relations. A favorable legal field exists for launching
economic cooperation between Armenia and Romania, corresponding
bilateral agreements have been signed. I should note, however, that
the volume of commodity turnover is not large, i.e. we do not make
full use of the existing potential. What steps are possible for
encouraging the growth of economic relations?
- The volume of bilateral trade has reached the level of 70 millions
USD in the first 9 months of the current year. Obviously, this is
not the level of our potential.
There are business opportunities and it is up to our companies to make
full use of them. I think that the Intergovernmental Commission for
commercial-economic and technical-scientific cooperation, as well as
our Chambers of Commerce and Industry, should be platforms of dialogue
between Romanian and Armenian businessmen facilitating the spead of
information concerning our markets. Mutual participation in trade
fairs and exhibitions would certainly be an important way of providing
useful information on business opportunities. A clear agenda of such
events should be made available to the other side in order to make
this participation possible.
- Armenia attaches importance to the active cooperation within the
framework of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation
Organization. Armenia is currently presiding at the Organization and
is ready to cooperate with Romania both within the Organization and
in the EU-BSEC format. What is your view of the perspectives of such
cooperation?
- Romania is ready to support and facilitate the Committee of Senior
Officials' work on critically important issues, such as the
improvement of BSEC efficiency.
Romania is also ready to cooperate with Armenia in order to enhance
the BSEC-EU interaction, for implementing the Black Sea
Synergy. Fostering the BSEC - EU interaction can be achieved through
promoting concrete projects within the framework of the Black Sea
Synergy (environment, transport, migration) and the cooperation with
BSEC in those areas where it holds comparative advantages.
Another concrete activity we envisage regards an exchange of
experience and good practices on project management that would address
the issue of absorption capacity of EU funds, an issue of concern for
the whole region. I am sure Armenia can greatly benefit from it, too.
Sincerely it is our intention to involve ourselves more in the
education projects at the regional level. Promoting the Black Sea
Universities Network and its closer interaction with BSEC could be
helpful in this regard.
- Since January 2007, Romania has been a full member of the European
Union. For its part, Armenia stresses that European integration is
one of its foreign policy priorities. Can Romania help Armenia in
the process via exchange of experience?
- The answer is definitely positive. Romania is ready to share its
experience and lessons learnt in implementing reforms. The European
Union provides various instruments and programs for the Black Sea
region. I am confident that a strengthened relation between Armenia
and the EU is beneficial for all the countries in the region,
ensuring a climate of stability and security.
- The Defense Minister of Armenia, Seyran Ohanyan, visited Romania
earlier in November. A number of agreements were signed within the
framework of the visit. How would you assess the opportunities of
the Armenian- Romanian military cooperation?
- We are open for discussions in order to identify as many fields of
cooperation as possible, taking into consideration our experience in
the process of armed forces reform and NATO integration processes in
areas such as: defence management, defence resources management,
human resources, force restructuring.
Romania is ready to offer its assistance for the fulfillment of the
IPAP objectives and the enhancement of NATO ` Armenia relation and
recommends the full use of the existing EAPC/PfP mechanisms and
programs able to play an essential role in the development of the
Armenian armed forces reform projects. We reiterate our support for
the training of the Armenian military and civilian personnel through
courses in Romanian military education institutions. We look forward
to receiving specific requests in this respect.
"NEW PERSPECTIVES OPEN IN ROMANIAN - ARMENIAN RELATIONS"
Interview with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania Lazar Comanescu
- Mr. Minister, the Armenian - Romanian interstate relations are
dynamically developing and there is an active political
dialogue. The official visit of the president of Romania to Armenia
in October 2006 served as impetus for these developments. What new
developments can you expect during your visit and what are the
issues important for the Romanian side for encouraging the relations
with Armenia?
- The political and diplomatic dialogue between Romania and the
Republic of Armenia can be assessed as excellent. Since the
establishment of our diplomatic relations, in December 1991, there
have been eight presidential visits. There have also been numerous
visits at the level of ministers of foreign affairs. These contacts
have always given an impetus to the enhancement of the bilateral
cooperation, ensuring a better knowledge of our mutual interests and
providing the opportunity for extending the legal cooperation
framework between Romania and Armenia.
The interest of Romania in the enlarged Black Sea region is well
known. Armenia also belongs to this region and I would like to
underline here the support Yerevan is providing to initiatives
designed to deepen the collaboration between the states of the region
to the benefit of the stability and security in the area. I refer
inter alia to the initiative ?Black Sea Forum for Dialogue and
Partnership" and the launching of the Black Sea Euro-region and to the
ENPI-CBC Black Sea Program, hosted by the Management Authority of
Romania. It will be my pleasure to comment further down on the
Armenian chairmanship in office of the BSEC.
The accession to NATO and EU has increased the role of Romania at the
Eastern border of these organizations and has enhanced the cooperation
with the states lying eastward to this border. The direct relations
with Armenia may receive additional value through the participation of
Romania to the EU's Neighbourhood Program and NATO's Individual
Partnership Action Plan, as Armenia is an active player of these
initiatives.
We are glad Armenia has chosen to deepen its relations with the EU and
with the Western Community as a whole. We believe that, through
intense individual efforts at both the internal and the external level
` continuing reforms, strengthening democracy and the rule of law,
reinforcing dialogue with the European and North-Atlantic institutions
and the EU Member States `Armenia will move closer to the objectives
of visa facilitation and free trade agreement with the EU.
In addition, I would like to mention that both Romania and Armenia are
members of several European and international organizations: BSEC,
Council of Europe, OSCE and UN. Within these bodies we have many
possibilities to cooperate, bearing in mind that what is in the
interest of the international community or of the region is also good
for us.
Romania supports the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, according to the principles of international law and the UN
and OSCE relevant resolutions. Romania's position has been consistent
with our general approach to the frozen conflicts in the region.
- About 40 agreements have been signed between the two
countries. There have been a number of high-level visits. In June
2006, President of the Republic of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan,
participated in the "Black Sea Forum for Dialogue and Partnership"
initiated by Romania. Could we expect another meeting on the level
of Presidents?
- I have already presented the record of the high-level dialogue
between Romania and the Republic of Armenia, since the proclamation
of Armenia's independence. The Romanian side has already sent an
invitation to the President of the Republic of Armenia to pay a
visit to Romania, in response to the Romanian president's visit of
2006. The visit will take place at a time convenient for both sides,
possibly in October 2009.
- The establishment of the Romania-Armenia Chamber of Commerce and
Industry was important with regard to the deepening of bilateral
economic relations. A favorable legal field exists for launching
economic cooperation between Armenia and Romania, corresponding
bilateral agreements have been signed. I should note, however, that
the volume of commodity turnover is not large, i.e. we do not make
full use of the existing potential. What steps are possible for
encouraging the growth of economic relations?
- The volume of bilateral trade has reached the level of 70 millions
USD in the first 9 months of the current year. Obviously, this is
not the level of our potential.
There are business opportunities and it is up to our companies to make
full use of them. I think that the Intergovernmental Commission for
commercial-economic and technical-scientific cooperation, as well as
our Chambers of Commerce and Industry, should be platforms of dialogue
between Romanian and Armenian businessmen facilitating the spead of
information concerning our markets. Mutual participation in trade
fairs and exhibitions would certainly be an important way of providing
useful information on business opportunities. A clear agenda of such
events should be made available to the other side in order to make
this participation possible.
- Armenia attaches importance to the active cooperation within the
framework of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation
Organization. Armenia is currently presiding at the Organization and
is ready to cooperate with Romania both within the Organization and
in the EU-BSEC format. What is your view of the perspectives of such
cooperation?
- Romania is ready to support and facilitate the Committee of Senior
Officials' work on critically important issues, such as the
improvement of BSEC efficiency.
Romania is also ready to cooperate with Armenia in order to enhance
the BSEC-EU interaction, for implementing the Black Sea
Synergy. Fostering the BSEC - EU interaction can be achieved through
promoting concrete projects within the framework of the Black Sea
Synergy (environment, transport, migration) and the cooperation with
BSEC in those areas where it holds comparative advantages.
Another concrete activity we envisage regards an exchange of
experience and good practices on project management that would address
the issue of absorption capacity of EU funds, an issue of concern for
the whole region. I am sure Armenia can greatly benefit from it, too.
Sincerely it is our intention to involve ourselves more in the
education projects at the regional level. Promoting the Black Sea
Universities Network and its closer interaction with BSEC could be
helpful in this regard.
- Since January 2007, Romania has been a full member of the European
Union. For its part, Armenia stresses that European integration is
one of its foreign policy priorities. Can Romania help Armenia in
the process via exchange of experience?
- The answer is definitely positive. Romania is ready to share its
experience and lessons learnt in implementing reforms. The European
Union provides various instruments and programs for the Black Sea
region. I am confident that a strengthened relation between Armenia
and the EU is beneficial for all the countries in the region,
ensuring a climate of stability and security.
- The Defense Minister of Armenia, Seyran Ohanyan, visited Romania
earlier in November. A number of agreements were signed within the
framework of the visit. How would you assess the opportunities of
the Armenian- Romanian military cooperation?
- We are open for discussions in order to identify as many fields of
cooperation as possible, taking into consideration our experience in
the process of armed forces reform and NATO integration processes in
areas such as: defence management, defence resources management,
human resources, force restructuring.
Romania is ready to offer its assistance for the fulfillment of the
IPAP objectives and the enhancement of NATO ` Armenia relation and
recommends the full use of the existing EAPC/PfP mechanisms and
programs able to play an essential role in the development of the
Armenian armed forces reform projects. We reiterate our support for
the training of the Armenian military and civilian personnel through
courses in Romanian military education institutions. We look forward
to receiving specific requests in this respect.