Tweet
WHAT IS ARMENIA'S PRICE OF COMPLETION OF NEGOTIATIONS?
When will the text of the EU-Armenia Association Agreement be
published? Negotiations are already over. This issue has a particular
importance for Armenia not because the negotiations were confidential
and the society must be informed. The point is that during Serzh
Sargsyan's presidency a peculiar tradition has been established. The
results of diplomatic negotiations of the government are disclosed
to the society suddenly at midnight.
So was the disclosure of the Armenian-Turkish roadmap. So was the
revelation of the Armenian-Turkish protocols. And if the tradition
is followed, one night the text of the Association Agreement will
be published.
It's a joke but the completion of the EU-Armenia negotiations was a
surprise. Most probably, it is the result of the latest visit of the
Commissioner for Enlargement and ENP Stefan Fule to Yerevan. Fule came
to Yerevan a few weeks ago and he made important statements with an
unexpectedly blunt text, opening the cards.
Before the visit Fule's spokesperson had stated that the visit will be
crucial to pre-signing of the Association Agreement in Vilnius. The
statement seemed strange because there were several months to go
before November but now it is clear that the key importance was the
completion of negotiations - Fule came to finalize the negotiations.
It is not accidental that he stated the necessity to disclose the
specific benefits of the Association Agreement for the citizens of
Armenia. Now that the negotiations have been completed, the Armenian
government has to publish the text.
In Yerevan Fule made several important statements on financial support
to reforms. The quick completion is also interesting from this point
of view. It is not ruled out that the completion cost money - the EU
pledged financial support if Yerevan completes negotiations quickly.
And Yerevan did it.
Apparently, Brussels has figured out that this is the only possible
way of interaction with Yerevan, so not only the speed of the
process but also the process itself may be jeopardized unless the
government has financial interests. Europe's doubts were felt from
recent statements of European diplomats. The last drop was Serzh
Sargsyan's visit to Poland where Poland's president came up with a
reminder that Armenia must make a choice between the Customs Union and
the Association Agreement. Perhaps, Komorowski reported to Brussels
that Serzh Sargsyan is not reliable and it is necessary to talk to
him specifically, after which Fule arrived in Yerevan, stating that
his visit would mark a breakthrough.
Meanwhile, specific talk to the Armenian government is funding.
Brussels has apparently gone for this solution due to the importance
of the Association process. It means that the process is important
to Europe and is not determined by a political protocol. Perhaps,
Brussels needed to accelerate the process and reach the point when
the subject matter of the negotiations would be revealed. Therefore,
it was necessary to finish the negotiations because the Armenian side
was against publishing it.
Probably, the EU expected to end its certain dependence on the
Armenian government if the content is published and will be able to
work towards Association with the society as well, thereby ensuring
more reliable prospects for the process.
James Hakobyan 10:34 27/07/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/30564
When will the text of the EU-Armenia Association Agreement be
published? Negotiations are already over. This issue has a particular
importance for Armenia not because the negotiations were confidential
and the society must be informed. The point is that during Serzh
Sargsyan's presidency a peculiar tradition has been established. The
results of diplomatic negotiations of the government are disclosed
to the society suddenly at midnight.
So was the disclosure of the Armenian-Turkish roadmap. So was the
revelation of the Armenian-Turkish protocols. And if the tradition
is followed, one night the text of the Association Agreement will
be published.
It's a joke but the completion of the EU-Armenia negotiations was a
surprise. Most probably, it is the result of the latest visit of the
Commissioner for Enlargement and ENP Stefan Fule to Yerevan. Fule came
to Yerevan a few weeks ago and he made important statements with an
unexpectedly blunt text, opening the cards.
Before the visit Fule's spokesperson had stated that the visit will be
crucial to pre-signing of the Association Agreement in Vilnius. The
statement seemed strange because there were several months to go
before November but now it is clear that the key importance was the
completion of negotiations - Fule came to finalize the negotiations.
It is not accidental that he stated the necessity to disclose the
specific benefits of the Association Agreement for the citizens of
Armenia. Now that the negotiations have been completed, the Armenian
government has to publish the text.
In Yerevan Fule made several important statements on financial support
to reforms. The quick completion is also interesting from this point
of view. It is not ruled out that the completion cost money - the EU
pledged financial support if Yerevan completes negotiations quickly.
And Yerevan did it.
Apparently, Brussels has figured out that this is the only possible
way of interaction with Yerevan, so not only the speed of the
process but also the process itself may be jeopardized unless the
government has financial interests. Europe's doubts were felt from
recent statements of European diplomats. The last drop was Serzh
Sargsyan's visit to Poland where Poland's president came up with a
reminder that Armenia must make a choice between the Customs Union and
the Association Agreement. Perhaps, Komorowski reported to Brussels
that Serzh Sargsyan is not reliable and it is necessary to talk to
him specifically, after which Fule arrived in Yerevan, stating that
his visit would mark a breakthrough.
Meanwhile, specific talk to the Armenian government is funding.
Brussels has apparently gone for this solution due to the importance
of the Association process. It means that the process is important
to Europe and is not determined by a political protocol. Perhaps,
Brussels needed to accelerate the process and reach the point when
the subject matter of the negotiations would be revealed. Therefore,
it was necessary to finish the negotiations because the Armenian side
was against publishing it.
Probably, the EU expected to end its certain dependence on the
Armenian government if the content is published and will be able to
work towards Association with the society as well, thereby ensuring
more reliable prospects for the process.
James Hakobyan 10:34 27/07/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/30564