Tweet
EU DONOR CONFERENCE FOR ARMENIA IN AUTUMN WAS NEVER REALISTIC
By Raffi Elliottian
hetq
15:37, July 11, 2012
During his 4 July visit to Yerevan, EU President Herman Van
Rompuy declared that Armenia was moving in the right direction,
and that negotiations are now being prepared for the promised EU led
international donor conference for financial aid to Armenia's state
and economic reform agenda.
Earlier statements by the spokesperson of EU Commissioner Stefan
Fule caused confusion, as he first stated in January that this donor
conference would take place after the parliamentary elections of May
2012, while recently mentioning a time after the presidential election
as a target.
"The plan to hold the donor conference this autumn was always very
ambitious" explained Dr Michael Kambeck, Secretary General of the
NGO European Friends of Armenia (www.EuFoA.org) in Brussels. "Amongst
other things, both sides need to prepare excellent strategy documents
for the World Bank. Yerevan and Brussels started those preparations
after the recent parliamentary elections and I don't believe that
they can finish them before it gets already too close to the upcoming
Presidential Elections."
As a general rule, the EU avoids any activities close to national
elections, which could influence these elections.
Kambeck emphasised the importance of the renewed dedication by the
EU to assisting the democratic and economic modernisation of its
Eastern-European periphery in a time of financial insecurity stating:
"What was important for us is that President Van Rompuy reaffirmed
the EU's commitment for this donor conference, despite the EU's crisis.
And if the Presidential Elections next February mark another progress
over last May's elections, this conference will find enough political
support in Europe and beyond to be successful. This will be very
significant for Armenia!"
In this context, it is also noteworthy that separately, the European
Parliament decided yesterday, 10 July 2012, to increase the EU's
financial assistance to Armenia in the framework of the Eastern
Partnership Programme and the European Neighborhood Policy. The date
for the said international donor conference will be fixed, once the
Armenian government has finalised the necessary strategy documents
in cooperation with the EU.
(Raffi Elliottian is a Canadian-Armenian political-economist currently
based in Yerevan)
By Raffi Elliottian
hetq
15:37, July 11, 2012
During his 4 July visit to Yerevan, EU President Herman Van
Rompuy declared that Armenia was moving in the right direction,
and that negotiations are now being prepared for the promised EU led
international donor conference for financial aid to Armenia's state
and economic reform agenda.
Earlier statements by the spokesperson of EU Commissioner Stefan
Fule caused confusion, as he first stated in January that this donor
conference would take place after the parliamentary elections of May
2012, while recently mentioning a time after the presidential election
as a target.
"The plan to hold the donor conference this autumn was always very
ambitious" explained Dr Michael Kambeck, Secretary General of the
NGO European Friends of Armenia (www.EuFoA.org) in Brussels. "Amongst
other things, both sides need to prepare excellent strategy documents
for the World Bank. Yerevan and Brussels started those preparations
after the recent parliamentary elections and I don't believe that
they can finish them before it gets already too close to the upcoming
Presidential Elections."
As a general rule, the EU avoids any activities close to national
elections, which could influence these elections.
Kambeck emphasised the importance of the renewed dedication by the
EU to assisting the democratic and economic modernisation of its
Eastern-European periphery in a time of financial insecurity stating:
"What was important for us is that President Van Rompuy reaffirmed
the EU's commitment for this donor conference, despite the EU's crisis.
And if the Presidential Elections next February mark another progress
over last May's elections, this conference will find enough political
support in Europe and beyond to be successful. This will be very
significant for Armenia!"
In this context, it is also noteworthy that separately, the European
Parliament decided yesterday, 10 July 2012, to increase the EU's
financial assistance to Armenia in the framework of the Eastern
Partnership Programme and the European Neighborhood Policy. The date
for the said international donor conference will be fixed, once the
Armenian government has finalised the necessary strategy documents
in cooperation with the EU.
(Raffi Elliottian is a Canadian-Armenian political-economist currently
based in Yerevan)