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ARMENIA AND EU LAUNCH NEGOTIATIONS ON ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT
NOYAN TAPAN
JULY 21, 2010
YEREVAN
The first meeting of the negotiations on an Association Agreement
between Armenia and the European Union was held in Yerevan on July 19.
The negotiations were preceded by the meeting of Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian with the EU negotiating delegation headed
by Gunnar Wiegand, Director of the European Commission General
Directorate of External Relations for Eastern Europe, South Caucasus
and Central Asia.
The negotiations were opened by E. Nalbandian who said in his speech:
"The ties of Armenia and the Armenian people with Europe are as old
as the European continent itself. The European direction has been one
of the priorities of Armenia's foreign policy since Armenia gained
independence. In this respect the Eastern Partnership project opens
a prospect for establishing contractual relations of new quality with
the EU, particularly through the Association Agreement, the start of
which we initiated today".
In his words, the Armenia-EU Justice, Freedom and Security Subcommittee
successfully completed its first meeting in Yerevan on July 6. "We
expect the constructive discussions in this format to open the door
to signing an agreement on the facilitation of the visa regime with
the EU as soon as possible. We also attach importance to the talks
on the deep and comprehensive free trade zone as a component of the
Association Agreement," he pointed out.
The main document regulating Armenia's cooperation with the European
Union - the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement took effect in July
1999 for a period of 10 years. Under the respective provision of the
agreement, after the expiry of the term, it is extended for one year.
The Association Agreement will replace the Partnership and Cooperation
Agreement currently in force. The guidelines of cooperation on economic
integration, free movement and energy issues will be reflected in
this document. The talks will involve three thematic groups that will
negotiate on issues of political dialog, foreign and security policies,
justice, freedoms, as well as cooperation in the spheres of economy,
finance, culture, energy, etc.
According to the RA MFA Press and Information Department, with the
aim of organizing the negotiating process by Armenia, on July 15
the Armenian president signed the Order on Negotiations over the
Association Agreement between the Republic of Armenia and the European
Union, under which Foreign Minister E. Nalbandian is the coordinator
of the negotiations on behalf of Armenia, and Deputy Foreign Minister
Ms. Karine Ghazinian is the chief negotiator.
Deputy Minister of Justice Nikolai Arustamian is the head of the
working group on justice, freedoms and security, Deputy Minister
of Finance Mushegh Tumasian is the head of the working group on
cooperation in economic and financial spheres.
The meeting to mark the start of the negotiations was followed by
the press conference of K. Ghazinian and G. Wiegand.
From: A. Papazian
NOYAN TAPAN
JULY 21, 2010
YEREVAN
The first meeting of the negotiations on an Association Agreement
between Armenia and the European Union was held in Yerevan on July 19.
The negotiations were preceded by the meeting of Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian with the EU negotiating delegation headed
by Gunnar Wiegand, Director of the European Commission General
Directorate of External Relations for Eastern Europe, South Caucasus
and Central Asia.
The negotiations were opened by E. Nalbandian who said in his speech:
"The ties of Armenia and the Armenian people with Europe are as old
as the European continent itself. The European direction has been one
of the priorities of Armenia's foreign policy since Armenia gained
independence. In this respect the Eastern Partnership project opens
a prospect for establishing contractual relations of new quality with
the EU, particularly through the Association Agreement, the start of
which we initiated today".
In his words, the Armenia-EU Justice, Freedom and Security Subcommittee
successfully completed its first meeting in Yerevan on July 6. "We
expect the constructive discussions in this format to open the door
to signing an agreement on the facilitation of the visa regime with
the EU as soon as possible. We also attach importance to the talks
on the deep and comprehensive free trade zone as a component of the
Association Agreement," he pointed out.
The main document regulating Armenia's cooperation with the European
Union - the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement took effect in July
1999 for a period of 10 years. Under the respective provision of the
agreement, after the expiry of the term, it is extended for one year.
The Association Agreement will replace the Partnership and Cooperation
Agreement currently in force. The guidelines of cooperation on economic
integration, free movement and energy issues will be reflected in
this document. The talks will involve three thematic groups that will
negotiate on issues of political dialog, foreign and security policies,
justice, freedoms, as well as cooperation in the spheres of economy,
finance, culture, energy, etc.
According to the RA MFA Press and Information Department, with the
aim of organizing the negotiating process by Armenia, on July 15
the Armenian president signed the Order on Negotiations over the
Association Agreement between the Republic of Armenia and the European
Union, under which Foreign Minister E. Nalbandian is the coordinator
of the negotiations on behalf of Armenia, and Deputy Foreign Minister
Ms. Karine Ghazinian is the chief negotiator.
Deputy Minister of Justice Nikolai Arustamian is the head of the
working group on justice, freedoms and security, Deputy Minister
of Finance Mushegh Tumasian is the head of the working group on
cooperation in economic and financial spheres.
The meeting to mark the start of the negotiations was followed by
the press conference of K. Ghazinian and G. Wiegand.
From: A. Papazian