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RUSSIA HAS COME TO TERMS WITH ARMENIA'S CHOICE
Peter Stano, spokesman for Stefan Fule, European Commissioner for
Enlargement and European Neighborhood, told the Armenian service of
RFE/RL that the observer status at the Customs Union or Eurasian
Union or the memoranda of cooperation with these organizations by
Armenia will not contradict the signing of the Association Agreement
with the European Union.
At the same time, the European official noted that everything depends
on the content of the memorandum. He stressed that Armenia should
be able to define the customs procedures, while the members of the
Customs Union are supposed to set down common procedures which is in
disaccord with the Association Agreement with Europe.
The issue of the partnership memorandum with the Customs Union has
been discussed widely. During the CIS prime ministers' meeting in
Minsk on May 31 Tigran Sargsyan met with his Russian counterpart
Medvedev. Tigran Sargsyan dwelt on the format of Armenia's integration
with the Customs Union and on signing of the memorandum.
This was perceived in Armenia as the country's capitulation to Russia's
demand to join the Customs Union but Europe's response suggests that
the Armenian perception was not right. The spokesman for Stefan Fule
noted that they are willing to initialize the Association Agreement
with Armenia in November in Vilnius. Peter Stano said that the
government of Armenia is also willing to sign it and is aware of how
far the negotiations with other partners may go.
Europe hints that Armenia's relations with the Customs Union are
still controllable.
Armenia already has one memorandum which defines Armenia's cooperation
with the Eurasian Union. The document implies that the parties have
no legal obligations. Most probably, this is the point that interests
Europe. If the same point is set out in the memorandum of cooperation
with the Customs Union, Brussels will be satisfied. Moreover, the
Western political centers understand the inevitability of Armenia's
maneuvers with Russia.
The memoranda with the Customs Union and Eurasian Union are Armenia's
steps in this direction. Harsh refusal to Russia would be beyond
Armenia's powers independently from the authorities, and especially
after two decades of the government's anti-constitutional practice.
Europe understands this too giving Armenia the opportunity to mark
time until November.
Of course, Russia is also well-aware of the situation and it has
come to terms with the idea that Armenia is choosing the association
agreement and the free trade area with Europe while the signed
memoranda are just a means of keeping up Russia's reputation.
Although, by and large, it is clear that Moscow is dissatisfied with
Armenia's choice, and having no levers to resolve this issue, it is
creating trouble for Armenia by boosting the gas price, flirting with
Azerbaijan etc.
Anyway, Russia has been exercising this approach for years, when
still there was no Association Agreement, and Armenia used to give
away everything to Russia.
James Hakobyan 16:34 06/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/30071
Peter Stano, spokesman for Stefan Fule, European Commissioner for
Enlargement and European Neighborhood, told the Armenian service of
RFE/RL that the observer status at the Customs Union or Eurasian
Union or the memoranda of cooperation with these organizations by
Armenia will not contradict the signing of the Association Agreement
with the European Union.
At the same time, the European official noted that everything depends
on the content of the memorandum. He stressed that Armenia should
be able to define the customs procedures, while the members of the
Customs Union are supposed to set down common procedures which is in
disaccord with the Association Agreement with Europe.
The issue of the partnership memorandum with the Customs Union has
been discussed widely. During the CIS prime ministers' meeting in
Minsk on May 31 Tigran Sargsyan met with his Russian counterpart
Medvedev. Tigran Sargsyan dwelt on the format of Armenia's integration
with the Customs Union and on signing of the memorandum.
This was perceived in Armenia as the country's capitulation to Russia's
demand to join the Customs Union but Europe's response suggests that
the Armenian perception was not right. The spokesman for Stefan Fule
noted that they are willing to initialize the Association Agreement
with Armenia in November in Vilnius. Peter Stano said that the
government of Armenia is also willing to sign it and is aware of how
far the negotiations with other partners may go.
Europe hints that Armenia's relations with the Customs Union are
still controllable.
Armenia already has one memorandum which defines Armenia's cooperation
with the Eurasian Union. The document implies that the parties have
no legal obligations. Most probably, this is the point that interests
Europe. If the same point is set out in the memorandum of cooperation
with the Customs Union, Brussels will be satisfied. Moreover, the
Western political centers understand the inevitability of Armenia's
maneuvers with Russia.
The memoranda with the Customs Union and Eurasian Union are Armenia's
steps in this direction. Harsh refusal to Russia would be beyond
Armenia's powers independently from the authorities, and especially
after two decades of the government's anti-constitutional practice.
Europe understands this too giving Armenia the opportunity to mark
time until November.
Of course, Russia is also well-aware of the situation and it has
come to terms with the idea that Armenia is choosing the association
agreement and the free trade area with Europe while the signed
memoranda are just a means of keeping up Russia's reputation.
Although, by and large, it is clear that Moscow is dissatisfied with
Armenia's choice, and having no levers to resolve this issue, it is
creating trouble for Armenia by boosting the gas price, flirting with
Azerbaijan etc.
Anyway, Russia has been exercising this approach for years, when
still there was no Association Agreement, and Armenia used to give
away everything to Russia.
James Hakobyan 16:34 06/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/30071