Tweet
FIRST STEPS LEAD TO BIG STRIDES: ARMENIA IN THE EUROPEAN UNION
LithuaniaTribune
Aug 14 2013
The steps have been taken. The Baltics took them nearly 10 years ago,
now it's Armenia's time.
The desire for Armenia to eventually enter the fold of the 28 member
big league, The European Union, is soon to be decided.
The pre-Association Agreement negotiations will soon be over, and the
hope that a signing will take place in November in Vilnius, Lithuania,
where EU ministers and candidate countries will meet. This is the
topic of conservation in the capital, Yerevan, Armenia, today.
Armenia will eventually sign the Association Agreement, some 1,500
pages of agreement text according to Deputy Foreign Minister and
Chief negotiation Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, who is on the record as saying:
"We have two rounds to undergo by the end of the year and few in the
coming one. We are planning to move forward in a speeded-up way."
The President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan is schedule to meet the
current President of the European Union, Dalia Grybauskaite in Vilnius
this November. What started in 2010 - negotiations on Association
Agreement for eventual EU entry - will continue, possibly into the
future. Russia has different aspirations for Armenia, and currently
Russia lists Armenia as a "Eurasian Economic Community Observer",
Vladimir Putin answers to the European Union.
President Sargsyan will represent his country whereby Armenia may agree
to begin the more serious process of meeting the requirements to be
considered by fellow member states, worthy to join the international
community as an EU member, and the benefits that go along with it.
The process has been three years in the making so far, and will
continue to be long and arduous. Can Armenia ever succeed? The answer
to this question of course, is unknown - at this early stage.
The criteria to join the EU as a new member state is based on three
basic principles.
"Political stability; existence of a functioning market economy;
the acceptance and ability to take on obligations of membership,
including adherence to the monetary union". All of these, and more
according to Accession criteria established by the Copenhagen European
Council, are requirements for consideration.
Many a local critic would argue that Armenia is not yet quite ready
for this Next Step, the signing of Association Agreement.
Croatia has just succeeded and became the 28th member of the EU earlier
this month, and brought to the fold a country approximately the same
in population and size as Armenia.
Croatia applied for EU membership in 2003. The European Commission
recommended making it an official candidate member state in early
2004, on the road to full EU membership - some 10 years later. How
long will it take Armenia?
Armenia first got into the Eastern Partnership 'game' in 2009, and
five other former Soviet Union republics were offered the opportunity
by the EU, with the aims of tightening the relationships between the
EU and Eastern partners.
The goal was to deepen their political co-operation and economic
integration. The Eastern Partnership neither promises nor precludes
the prospect of EU membership to the partner states.
In the meantime, Armenia is at junction to sign up, now in the final
stages of negotiation as addressed by the Deputy Foreign Minister.
European Union History 101
The European Union was officially born on 18 April, 1951. The six
founder nations of today's EU, in the beginning, were Belgium, France,
Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. However, the idea of a
European Union was first expressed in May 1950 by the French Minister
of Foreign Affairs Robert Schuman, who declared in a speech to seek
economic integration with Germany in the steel and coal sector whereby
"other European nations can join" this Union-to-be.
With this Europe Declaration signing Agreement of 1951, these western
European countries agreed "'to transform their age-long rivalry
through the unification of their essential interests, and, by the
inauguration of an economic community", the agreed declaration stated,
and thus the European Union was born.
As we know today, two world wars in less than 25 years were enough to
convince European leaders at the time, to 'do something about it',
back in post WWII recovery. The Marshall Plan for Germany - and the
greatest financial support coming from the United States - and for
Europeans, the desire to create a 'border-less economic playing field',
was the goal to encourage member states to work for a common good of
their citizens, and eliminate war as a solution to issues.
Eventually, other western European countries joined as well, and the
EU grew to some 15 members by the turn of the century.
But Europe changed dramatically in May 2004, with the acceptance of 10
new member states - eight of which were former Soviet Union Republics.
The big catches then were the common border states of, Latvia,
Lithuania, and Estonia. That year saw the EU bloom to 25 Members.
Since then, two new EU member states have been accepted in the forms
of Romania and Bulgaria. Latvia will hold the presidency the first
half of 2015, and Estonia will assume the same role come 2018.
Now it is Armenia's and others' turn to stand in line. Already in line
are Turkey, Georgia and now independent country that use to made up
Yugoslavia, with hat in hand
The European Union was originally set up with the aim of ending war
between neighbouring states which saw the culmination of two World
Wars and over 55 million military and civilian casualties, not to
mention countless hundreds of billions in economic losses. WWII
ended, and the nuclear weapon was born. The world simply became a
more dangerous place, with the advent of US and USSR nuclear weapons,
Europe needed to get its own house in order.
The European Union was Europe's answer to bring harmony and stability
to a continent that has seen the vast majorities of all wars over
the last thousand years. First with bows and arrows, and eventually,
with 20th century military machinery and armies.
But what exactly does 'joining the European Union' mean, and how does
a country go about it in today's world?
Since its inception, the European Union has been about unified means to
achieve economic ends. The EU's goal is to create a barrier-free trade
zone and to enhance economic wealth by creating more efficiency within
its market place. The EU wants to participate in the world economy
as one economic unit and operate under one official currency, the Euro.
This is not as easy as it may seem. In the post Soviet world of a
divided Europe between 'east and west', Western Europe is the focus
by which 'others' want to achieve economic and political parity. With
the growth of the EU to 28 countries in 60 years, the EU today has
become the world's leading trading block - equaling the United States
with turnover of some 16 trillion USD, according to the CIA's World
Fact Book. The EU's population stands at about 500 million compared
to the US at 315,000,000.
Now little central European country Armenia want to get into the big
leagues with its neighbours to 'the West'.
East and/or West today
Even at this late stage of pre-requirements for EU consideration,
Armenia is at a junction.
The Russians will simply not let go, and have their own 'international
economic organization' known s the Eurasian Economic Community.
Russia does not necessarily like the idea of yet another potential EU
country so close to its 'sphere of influence', following the Baltic
States entry in 2004.
In this part of the world, Turkey is a long way off from ever being
considered for EU acceptance, and neighbour Georgia could not get
accepted fast enough to please the President, Mikheil Saaksavili.
The Eurasian Economic Community formed in 2000 includes 'Big Brother'
Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Uzbekistan
was included in 2006, and is now out, suspending its membership in
2008. Armenia, Moldova, and Ukraine, all have observer status. The
stated goal of the EEC is "common customs borders and foreign economic
tariff and price policies" according to their official web site.
So, there you have it, Armenia looking over its shoulder to the
East and at the same time, looking to the West for European economic
integration. Come November in Vilnius, Armenia will single out which
way it is headed.
Local Attitudes.
For Armenia, the pundits are mixed.
>From the strong supporter and public voice for EU integration, Zohrab
Mnatsakanyan says "we will be aimed at deepening Armenia's relationship
with the EU on several sectors. It will cover particularly co-operation
criteria addressing democracy, trade and economic (co-operation),
human rights, justice and several other sectors", the Deputy Foreign
Minister is quoted as saying at www.taet.am
Other like-minded voices include Gagik Makaryan, head of the National
Union of Employers who states Russia's "Eurasian Economic Community
cannot be a counterbalance on Armenia's way towards signing Association
Agreement with the EU."
Deputy parliament Vice-Speaker Eduarfd Sharmazanov told recently a
group of at the Public Administration Academy, European Regional
Educational Academy, the Institute for Law and Politics of the
Armenian-Russian University, "in connection with the Armenia-European
Union, the Armenia-Eurasian Union, relations, foreign policy pursued
by the Armenian authorities stems from the interests of our country,
and it is based not on the 'or-or' but 'and-and' principle," he stated.
Former parliamentarian Ashot Manucharyan, a former member of the
Karabakh Committee says, "Europe and Russia have become major
challenges for Armenia, but the biggest challenge is the situation
in Armenia".
Manucharyan says, "Armenia should maintain friendly ties with Russia,
and Armenia's signing of the EU Association Agreement will be a
slap to Russia, and will lead to a response from Russia". He added,
"I am against expansion of any kind of system. With its standards,
this will lead to a drastic economic decline for Armenia".
The Near Future
The prospects for eventual signing of the European Union Association
Agreement, are nevertheless good. The Association Agreement is simply
'another step' for the country of 3,300,000 citizens to continue the
process of 'de-Soviet-isation' and traverse the avenue of acceptance
in the western world.
Geography plays an important part in the inter-political issues of
Central and Eastern Europe; and Armenia's time has come to move in
the direction of fellow Soviet states and welcome the neighbors to
the west as their common European ally.
Years of negotiation await the professionals and diplomats of Armenia,
the cradle of Indo-European civilisation, to join the western world
in the 21st century.
The Baltics will likewise welcome Armenia with open arms, yet the
road ahead for Armenia will be long, but worth the journey.
http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/47558/first-steps-lead-to-big-strides-armenia-in-the-european-union-201347558/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
LithuaniaTribune
Aug 14 2013
The steps have been taken. The Baltics took them nearly 10 years ago,
now it's Armenia's time.
The desire for Armenia to eventually enter the fold of the 28 member
big league, The European Union, is soon to be decided.
The pre-Association Agreement negotiations will soon be over, and the
hope that a signing will take place in November in Vilnius, Lithuania,
where EU ministers and candidate countries will meet. This is the
topic of conservation in the capital, Yerevan, Armenia, today.
Armenia will eventually sign the Association Agreement, some 1,500
pages of agreement text according to Deputy Foreign Minister and
Chief negotiation Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, who is on the record as saying:
"We have two rounds to undergo by the end of the year and few in the
coming one. We are planning to move forward in a speeded-up way."
The President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan is schedule to meet the
current President of the European Union, Dalia Grybauskaite in Vilnius
this November. What started in 2010 - negotiations on Association
Agreement for eventual EU entry - will continue, possibly into the
future. Russia has different aspirations for Armenia, and currently
Russia lists Armenia as a "Eurasian Economic Community Observer",
Vladimir Putin answers to the European Union.
President Sargsyan will represent his country whereby Armenia may agree
to begin the more serious process of meeting the requirements to be
considered by fellow member states, worthy to join the international
community as an EU member, and the benefits that go along with it.
The process has been three years in the making so far, and will
continue to be long and arduous. Can Armenia ever succeed? The answer
to this question of course, is unknown - at this early stage.
The criteria to join the EU as a new member state is based on three
basic principles.
"Political stability; existence of a functioning market economy;
the acceptance and ability to take on obligations of membership,
including adherence to the monetary union". All of these, and more
according to Accession criteria established by the Copenhagen European
Council, are requirements for consideration.
Many a local critic would argue that Armenia is not yet quite ready
for this Next Step, the signing of Association Agreement.
Croatia has just succeeded and became the 28th member of the EU earlier
this month, and brought to the fold a country approximately the same
in population and size as Armenia.
Croatia applied for EU membership in 2003. The European Commission
recommended making it an official candidate member state in early
2004, on the road to full EU membership - some 10 years later. How
long will it take Armenia?
Armenia first got into the Eastern Partnership 'game' in 2009, and
five other former Soviet Union republics were offered the opportunity
by the EU, with the aims of tightening the relationships between the
EU and Eastern partners.
The goal was to deepen their political co-operation and economic
integration. The Eastern Partnership neither promises nor precludes
the prospect of EU membership to the partner states.
In the meantime, Armenia is at junction to sign up, now in the final
stages of negotiation as addressed by the Deputy Foreign Minister.
European Union History 101
The European Union was officially born on 18 April, 1951. The six
founder nations of today's EU, in the beginning, were Belgium, France,
Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. However, the idea of a
European Union was first expressed in May 1950 by the French Minister
of Foreign Affairs Robert Schuman, who declared in a speech to seek
economic integration with Germany in the steel and coal sector whereby
"other European nations can join" this Union-to-be.
With this Europe Declaration signing Agreement of 1951, these western
European countries agreed "'to transform their age-long rivalry
through the unification of their essential interests, and, by the
inauguration of an economic community", the agreed declaration stated,
and thus the European Union was born.
As we know today, two world wars in less than 25 years were enough to
convince European leaders at the time, to 'do something about it',
back in post WWII recovery. The Marshall Plan for Germany - and the
greatest financial support coming from the United States - and for
Europeans, the desire to create a 'border-less economic playing field',
was the goal to encourage member states to work for a common good of
their citizens, and eliminate war as a solution to issues.
Eventually, other western European countries joined as well, and the
EU grew to some 15 members by the turn of the century.
But Europe changed dramatically in May 2004, with the acceptance of 10
new member states - eight of which were former Soviet Union Republics.
The big catches then were the common border states of, Latvia,
Lithuania, and Estonia. That year saw the EU bloom to 25 Members.
Since then, two new EU member states have been accepted in the forms
of Romania and Bulgaria. Latvia will hold the presidency the first
half of 2015, and Estonia will assume the same role come 2018.
Now it is Armenia's and others' turn to stand in line. Already in line
are Turkey, Georgia and now independent country that use to made up
Yugoslavia, with hat in hand
The European Union was originally set up with the aim of ending war
between neighbouring states which saw the culmination of two World
Wars and over 55 million military and civilian casualties, not to
mention countless hundreds of billions in economic losses. WWII
ended, and the nuclear weapon was born. The world simply became a
more dangerous place, with the advent of US and USSR nuclear weapons,
Europe needed to get its own house in order.
The European Union was Europe's answer to bring harmony and stability
to a continent that has seen the vast majorities of all wars over
the last thousand years. First with bows and arrows, and eventually,
with 20th century military machinery and armies.
But what exactly does 'joining the European Union' mean, and how does
a country go about it in today's world?
Since its inception, the European Union has been about unified means to
achieve economic ends. The EU's goal is to create a barrier-free trade
zone and to enhance economic wealth by creating more efficiency within
its market place. The EU wants to participate in the world economy
as one economic unit and operate under one official currency, the Euro.
This is not as easy as it may seem. In the post Soviet world of a
divided Europe between 'east and west', Western Europe is the focus
by which 'others' want to achieve economic and political parity. With
the growth of the EU to 28 countries in 60 years, the EU today has
become the world's leading trading block - equaling the United States
with turnover of some 16 trillion USD, according to the CIA's World
Fact Book. The EU's population stands at about 500 million compared
to the US at 315,000,000.
Now little central European country Armenia want to get into the big
leagues with its neighbours to 'the West'.
East and/or West today
Even at this late stage of pre-requirements for EU consideration,
Armenia is at a junction.
The Russians will simply not let go, and have their own 'international
economic organization' known s the Eurasian Economic Community.
Russia does not necessarily like the idea of yet another potential EU
country so close to its 'sphere of influence', following the Baltic
States entry in 2004.
In this part of the world, Turkey is a long way off from ever being
considered for EU acceptance, and neighbour Georgia could not get
accepted fast enough to please the President, Mikheil Saaksavili.
The Eurasian Economic Community formed in 2000 includes 'Big Brother'
Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Uzbekistan
was included in 2006, and is now out, suspending its membership in
2008. Armenia, Moldova, and Ukraine, all have observer status. The
stated goal of the EEC is "common customs borders and foreign economic
tariff and price policies" according to their official web site.
So, there you have it, Armenia looking over its shoulder to the
East and at the same time, looking to the West for European economic
integration. Come November in Vilnius, Armenia will single out which
way it is headed.
Local Attitudes.
For Armenia, the pundits are mixed.
>From the strong supporter and public voice for EU integration, Zohrab
Mnatsakanyan says "we will be aimed at deepening Armenia's relationship
with the EU on several sectors. It will cover particularly co-operation
criteria addressing democracy, trade and economic (co-operation),
human rights, justice and several other sectors", the Deputy Foreign
Minister is quoted as saying at www.taet.am
Other like-minded voices include Gagik Makaryan, head of the National
Union of Employers who states Russia's "Eurasian Economic Community
cannot be a counterbalance on Armenia's way towards signing Association
Agreement with the EU."
Deputy parliament Vice-Speaker Eduarfd Sharmazanov told recently a
group of at the Public Administration Academy, European Regional
Educational Academy, the Institute for Law and Politics of the
Armenian-Russian University, "in connection with the Armenia-European
Union, the Armenia-Eurasian Union, relations, foreign policy pursued
by the Armenian authorities stems from the interests of our country,
and it is based not on the 'or-or' but 'and-and' principle," he stated.
Former parliamentarian Ashot Manucharyan, a former member of the
Karabakh Committee says, "Europe and Russia have become major
challenges for Armenia, but the biggest challenge is the situation
in Armenia".
Manucharyan says, "Armenia should maintain friendly ties with Russia,
and Armenia's signing of the EU Association Agreement will be a
slap to Russia, and will lead to a response from Russia". He added,
"I am against expansion of any kind of system. With its standards,
this will lead to a drastic economic decline for Armenia".
The Near Future
The prospects for eventual signing of the European Union Association
Agreement, are nevertheless good. The Association Agreement is simply
'another step' for the country of 3,300,000 citizens to continue the
process of 'de-Soviet-isation' and traverse the avenue of acceptance
in the western world.
Geography plays an important part in the inter-political issues of
Central and Eastern Europe; and Armenia's time has come to move in
the direction of fellow Soviet states and welcome the neighbors to
the west as their common European ally.
Years of negotiation await the professionals and diplomats of Armenia,
the cradle of Indo-European civilisation, to join the western world
in the 21st century.
The Baltics will likewise welcome Armenia with open arms, yet the
road ahead for Armenia will be long, but worth the journey.
http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/47558/first-steps-lead-to-big-strides-armenia-in-the-european-union-201347558/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress