ARMENIA AND EU ACTUALLY COMPLETE TALKS ON ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT
YEREVAN, March 20. / ARKA /. Armenia and the European Union have
actually completed negotiations over the Association Agreement, a
deputy Armenian foreign minister Zohrab Mnatsakanian said today to
a news conference.
He said the 12th round of negotiations on the Association Agreement
was held on March 19-20 in Yerevan. "All provisions of the document
have already been discussed, and I do not think another round of
talks will be needed," he said.
Mr. Mnatsakanian said Armenia remains committed to its policy of
European integration, and expects to initial the document at the next
summit of Eastern Partnership Program in Vilnius, which will take place
on 28-29 November 2013. He added, however, that the completion of the
negotiations does not mean the end of the process. The negotiations
will be followed by procedural process.
He said the document should be discussed in EU member countries,
be translated into the languages of member states, and go through
additional legal checks, etc..
Stressing that one of the main elements of the association agreement
is creation of a deep and comprehensive free trade area with the
EU, Mnatsakanian said negotiations on it are also proceeding very
effectively.
The Association Agreement will substitute the agreement on partnership
and cooperation between Armenia and EU. It is aimed at strengthening
relations between Armenia and the European Union in different spheres,
particularly in the sphere of foreign policy, democracy, economic
integration, movement of people and energy. The EU is in similar
negotiations with Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova.
The Eastern Partnership Program aims to help these former Soviet
republics build closer ties with EU. Under it they are to receive 600
million euros by 2013 from EU to strengthen their state institutions,
border control and assist small businesses. -0-
YEREVAN, March 20. / ARKA /. Armenia and the European Union have
actually completed negotiations over the Association Agreement, a
deputy Armenian foreign minister Zohrab Mnatsakanian said today to
a news conference.
He said the 12th round of negotiations on the Association Agreement
was held on March 19-20 in Yerevan. "All provisions of the document
have already been discussed, and I do not think another round of
talks will be needed," he said.
Mr. Mnatsakanian said Armenia remains committed to its policy of
European integration, and expects to initial the document at the next
summit of Eastern Partnership Program in Vilnius, which will take place
on 28-29 November 2013. He added, however, that the completion of the
negotiations does not mean the end of the process. The negotiations
will be followed by procedural process.
He said the document should be discussed in EU member countries,
be translated into the languages of member states, and go through
additional legal checks, etc..
Stressing that one of the main elements of the association agreement
is creation of a deep and comprehensive free trade area with the
EU, Mnatsakanian said negotiations on it are also proceeding very
effectively.
The Association Agreement will substitute the agreement on partnership
and cooperation between Armenia and EU. It is aimed at strengthening
relations between Armenia and the European Union in different spheres,
particularly in the sphere of foreign policy, democracy, economic
integration, movement of people and energy. The EU is in similar
negotiations with Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova.
The Eastern Partnership Program aims to help these former Soviet
republics build closer ties with EU. Under it they are to receive 600
million euros by 2013 from EU to strengthen their state institutions,
border control and assist small businesses. -0-