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JOSE BARROSO: EU EXPECTS ARMENIAN ELECTIONS TO MEET INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
Mediamax
Nov 28 2012
Armenia
Mediamax's exclusive interview with the President of the European
Commission Jose Manuel Barroso
President of the European Commission will visit Yerevan November 30 to
take part in the Eastern Partnership Summit of the European People's
Party (EPP). On the eve of the visit he gave an interview to Mediamax.
- Armenian officials say that a big progress was made in Armenia-EU
relations during 2012. Do you share this view? What is the main
achievement and what still needs to be done?
- EU-Armenia relations further intensified in 2012. Good progress
was made in the negotiations on an Association Agreement, which will
provide for Armenia's political association and economic integration
with the EU. In that framework, since the start in July, 3 negotiating
rounds have taken place on a future Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade
Area. This agreement has the potential to increase Armenian exports to
the EU by 30%. By the time of the Vilnius Eastern Partnership Summit
in November 2013, we hope to be near to the completion of both sets
of negotiations.
In February 2012, we started negotiations on a Visa Facilitation
Agreement and a Readmission Agreement. In record time, the negotiations
were completed and the agreements were initialled in October. We expect
both agreements to come into force, in parallel, by mid-2013. Together
with the announced abolition of short-stay visas for EU and Schengen
zone citizens by Armenia, this will boost mutual mobility. On a
different issue, let me also mention that Armenia received an extra
~@ 15 million in assistance on the basis of the EU's "more for more"
policy that encourages reform.
- You are visiting Armenia 2,5 months before the Presidential
Elections. What is your expectation from the elections and how
important is their conduct for the future of Armenia-EU relations?
- The EU expects elections to be conducted according to international
standards. We fully support the OSCE ODIHR recommendations, made after
the parliamentary elections, on improving election procedures and their
implementation. These recommendations should be implemented as soon
as possible. Our policy is, as you know, based on the "more for more"
principle: the deeper the reform, the more the EU can and will help.
- Armenian Government and the European Commission are discussing
the Donors Conference for Armenia. Is this Conference linked to the
elections and their compatibility with the international standards?
- The EU stands ready to help Armenia organise a donor conference in
conjunction with other international donor organisations. Clearly,
Armenia has to do the main preparatory work, with a view to ensuring
that the outcome of the conference is fully in line with Armenia's
aspirations. If the preparations are of a high standard and EU-Armenia
relations continue to evolve in a positive direction, then we can
support the organisation of the conference.
- EU always calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to look for compromises.
Azerbaijani President publicly stated last this week that "Armenia as
a country is of no value", "Armenia is actually a colony", "Armenia
is an outpost run from abroad". Don't you think that such statements
are making Armenia less motivated to look for possible compromises?
- It is in Armenia's own best interest to strive for a comprise
on Nagorno Karabakh. The same is true for Azerbaijan. This
conflict should be solved in a peaceful way. Renewed conflict would
seriously harm all parties involved.The EU has a strong interest in
a stable neighbourhood; this is the raison d'etre of our European
Neighbourhood and Eastern Partnership policies. The EU actively
supports the mediation process of the OSCE Minsk Group, we have
important assistance projects to build confidence between the parties
to the conflict, while the efforts of our EU Special Representative
for the South Caucasus and the conflict in Georgia, Ambassador Lefort,
fully support the efforts of the Minsk Group in a complementary way.
Mediamax
Nov 28 2012
Armenia
Mediamax's exclusive interview with the President of the European
Commission Jose Manuel Barroso
President of the European Commission will visit Yerevan November 30 to
take part in the Eastern Partnership Summit of the European People's
Party (EPP). On the eve of the visit he gave an interview to Mediamax.
- Armenian officials say that a big progress was made in Armenia-EU
relations during 2012. Do you share this view? What is the main
achievement and what still needs to be done?
- EU-Armenia relations further intensified in 2012. Good progress
was made in the negotiations on an Association Agreement, which will
provide for Armenia's political association and economic integration
with the EU. In that framework, since the start in July, 3 negotiating
rounds have taken place on a future Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade
Area. This agreement has the potential to increase Armenian exports to
the EU by 30%. By the time of the Vilnius Eastern Partnership Summit
in November 2013, we hope to be near to the completion of both sets
of negotiations.
In February 2012, we started negotiations on a Visa Facilitation
Agreement and a Readmission Agreement. In record time, the negotiations
were completed and the agreements were initialled in October. We expect
both agreements to come into force, in parallel, by mid-2013. Together
with the announced abolition of short-stay visas for EU and Schengen
zone citizens by Armenia, this will boost mutual mobility. On a
different issue, let me also mention that Armenia received an extra
~@ 15 million in assistance on the basis of the EU's "more for more"
policy that encourages reform.
- You are visiting Armenia 2,5 months before the Presidential
Elections. What is your expectation from the elections and how
important is their conduct for the future of Armenia-EU relations?
- The EU expects elections to be conducted according to international
standards. We fully support the OSCE ODIHR recommendations, made after
the parliamentary elections, on improving election procedures and their
implementation. These recommendations should be implemented as soon
as possible. Our policy is, as you know, based on the "more for more"
principle: the deeper the reform, the more the EU can and will help.
- Armenian Government and the European Commission are discussing
the Donors Conference for Armenia. Is this Conference linked to the
elections and their compatibility with the international standards?
- The EU stands ready to help Armenia organise a donor conference in
conjunction with other international donor organisations. Clearly,
Armenia has to do the main preparatory work, with a view to ensuring
that the outcome of the conference is fully in line with Armenia's
aspirations. If the preparations are of a high standard and EU-Armenia
relations continue to evolve in a positive direction, then we can
support the organisation of the conference.
- EU always calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to look for compromises.
Azerbaijani President publicly stated last this week that "Armenia as
a country is of no value", "Armenia is actually a colony", "Armenia
is an outpost run from abroad". Don't you think that such statements
are making Armenia less motivated to look for possible compromises?
- It is in Armenia's own best interest to strive for a comprise
on Nagorno Karabakh. The same is true for Azerbaijan. This
conflict should be solved in a peaceful way. Renewed conflict would
seriously harm all parties involved.The EU has a strong interest in
a stable neighbourhood; this is the raison d'etre of our European
Neighbourhood and Eastern Partnership policies. The EU actively
supports the mediation process of the OSCE Minsk Group, we have
important assistance projects to build confidence between the parties
to the conflict, while the efforts of our EU Special Representative
for the South Caucasus and the conflict in Georgia, Ambassador Lefort,
fully support the efforts of the Minsk Group in a complementary way.