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EUROPEAN INTEGRATION: ARMENIA DEVELOPING MILITARY AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION WITH EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
By Naira Hayrumyan
ArmeniaNow
19.10.11 | 11:23
Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union of Armenia (CDUA) Khosrov
Harutyunyan once aptly remarked that "[President] Serge Sargsyan has
come to make Euro repairs" in the republic.
Last week was marked by visits to Armenia by masters of "euro-repairs",
who openly declared that Armenia has a Western direction of development
and that the Western countries will gladly support it in this way,
without demanding that it sever relations with Moscow.
(In Armenia and most other post-Soviet countries modern apartment
repairs are often called "Euro-repairs").
British Ambassador to Armenia Charles Lonsdale said: "The European
Union and NATO consider Armenia as its neighbor, as part of a larger
Europe. We welcome the readiness and willingness of Armenia to
cooperate with NATO and the EU."
He stressed that Armenia is a shining example of a country that can
have good relations with NATO and at the same time be a member of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Russia-dominated alliance
of six former Soviet countries.
At the same time, French Ambassador to Armenia Henri Reynaud said
that the issue of simplifying the visa regime between Armenia and
the EU will soon be addressed. This is likely to be followed by the
process of creating free trade zones, which, in turn, will be a huge
stimulus for Armenia's economic development.
"The conclusion of the association agreement will open a new stage
in Armenia-EU cooperation. For this purpose, Armenia should implement
institutional reforms that will allow the country to be more in line
with European standards," said the French diplomat.
The main directions in which cooperation between Armenia and the West
will develop have been defined by new U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John
Heffern, who presented his credentials to President Sargsyan earlier
this week. The U.S. diplomat said that the U.S.-Armenia cooperation
will be proceeding in three areas: regional stability and security,
the development of trade and investments, as well as democratization
and holding elections that meet international standards.
In connection with the first area of cooperation, which is the
maintenance of regional security, Armenia has applied for Western
aid to restrain Azerbaijan from the arms race. On October 18
Sargsyan received Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control,
Verification and Compliance Rose Gottemoeller. At the meeting,
the Armenian president said that Armenia considers the Conventional
Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE) as one of the foundations of security
and stability in Europe.
This week a remarkable statement was also made by Secretary of the
Armenian Security Council Secretary Artur Baghdasaryan. During a joint
press conference with the visiting Head of the National Security
Bureau of Poland Stanislaw Koziej Baghdasaryan said that the most
active area in the Armenian-Polish relations is military cooperation,
under which joint military-industrial enterprises will be set up in
the territory of Armenia over the next year.
President Sargsyan is due to pay a state visit to Russian capital
Moscow on October 23-25 at the invitation of his Russian counterpart
Dmitry Medvedev.
By Naira Hayrumyan
ArmeniaNow
19.10.11 | 11:23
Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union of Armenia (CDUA) Khosrov
Harutyunyan once aptly remarked that "[President] Serge Sargsyan has
come to make Euro repairs" in the republic.
Last week was marked by visits to Armenia by masters of "euro-repairs",
who openly declared that Armenia has a Western direction of development
and that the Western countries will gladly support it in this way,
without demanding that it sever relations with Moscow.
(In Armenia and most other post-Soviet countries modern apartment
repairs are often called "Euro-repairs").
British Ambassador to Armenia Charles Lonsdale said: "The European
Union and NATO consider Armenia as its neighbor, as part of a larger
Europe. We welcome the readiness and willingness of Armenia to
cooperate with NATO and the EU."
He stressed that Armenia is a shining example of a country that can
have good relations with NATO and at the same time be a member of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Russia-dominated alliance
of six former Soviet countries.
At the same time, French Ambassador to Armenia Henri Reynaud said
that the issue of simplifying the visa regime between Armenia and
the EU will soon be addressed. This is likely to be followed by the
process of creating free trade zones, which, in turn, will be a huge
stimulus for Armenia's economic development.
"The conclusion of the association agreement will open a new stage
in Armenia-EU cooperation. For this purpose, Armenia should implement
institutional reforms that will allow the country to be more in line
with European standards," said the French diplomat.
The main directions in which cooperation between Armenia and the West
will develop have been defined by new U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John
Heffern, who presented his credentials to President Sargsyan earlier
this week. The U.S. diplomat said that the U.S.-Armenia cooperation
will be proceeding in three areas: regional stability and security,
the development of trade and investments, as well as democratization
and holding elections that meet international standards.
In connection with the first area of cooperation, which is the
maintenance of regional security, Armenia has applied for Western
aid to restrain Azerbaijan from the arms race. On October 18
Sargsyan received Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control,
Verification and Compliance Rose Gottemoeller. At the meeting,
the Armenian president said that Armenia considers the Conventional
Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE) as one of the foundations of security
and stability in Europe.
This week a remarkable statement was also made by Secretary of the
Armenian Security Council Secretary Artur Baghdasaryan. During a joint
press conference with the visiting Head of the National Security
Bureau of Poland Stanislaw Koziej Baghdasaryan said that the most
active area in the Armenian-Polish relations is military cooperation,
under which joint military-industrial enterprises will be set up in
the territory of Armenia over the next year.
President Sargsyan is due to pay a state visit to Russian capital
Moscow on October 23-25 at the invitation of his Russian counterpart
Dmitry Medvedev.