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`A very nice document can be signed in Vilnius to show that Armenia
and the EU are in normal relationship.'
November 3 2013
A part of the society of Armenia has serious expectations with regard
to Vilnius summit on November, cherishing a hope that the Association
Agreement with the EU will be eventually signed, which was talked
about from the highest levels for four years continuously. These hopes
seem to be revealed after September 3, when the President of Armenia
announced that Armenia is ready to join the Customs Union, a
completely different system. This was followed by the Europe
`either-or' and the Armenian `and-and' theories. Europeans were saying
that we should clarify what we want, the CU or the EU, and our
officials claim that we can combine. Last week, too, even after the
fact when Armenia's orientation to CU was deepened at the meeting of
CIS heads in Minsk, several high-ranking officials insisted that
nevertheless something to be signed in Vilnius. We commenced our
conversation with the Country Director of `Eurasia Partnership
Foundation' Gevorg Ter-Gabrielyan with this very issue. - What do you
think, what kind of document will be signed in Vilnius? - In politics,
it is very important to have some timber-work, a methodological
approach to have the right approach to the questions. Forecasting is
not a problem of political science. Especially, when the general
expectation that Armenia devoting so many years to rapprochement with
Europe, will not divert from the course, was not justified. Any
beautiful document can be signed in Vilnius to show that Armenia and
the EU are good, and in normal relations, that Armenia has not yet
come out of the Eastern Partnership. A very specific document can also
be signed regarding bringing the process of visas to success, or a
partnership in a priority area, such as science. Nothing can also be
signed. Diplomacy enables making any move. I do not have any internal
information about expectations in Vilnius. I can only say what will
happen after Vilnius so that Armenia will not entirely lose this
historic moment. After Vilnius, Armenia will have few months that
Armenia, despite giving up with the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade
Agreement, will develop a profitable strategy with the EU regarding
the future. - In your speech you used the expression `divert from the
course'. What do you think do we have a way back from that diverted
path? - If by saying a way back you mean the Deep and Comprehensive
Free Trade Area Agreement and the EU Association Agreement adjacent to
it, integration of the documents with the EU, seems, passed into the
history, like the Armenian-Turkish protocols. If, on the other hand,
the matter is about the chances of Armenia in integration with the EU,
all the directions are open, historically open, and even more. I have
no doubts that if Armenia wants, some time later it may be a candidate
to the European Union membership. In other words, returning is
impossible, but progress is possible. Armenia is viewed by Europe as a
full European culture. If not us, then who? It's another matter that
the fate of the country is hard, it was not fortunate, it has certain
nomenclature and neighbors, but all of these is passable, but the
cultural unity is indisputable and historically durable.
Melania BARSEGHYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2013/11/03/162329/
From: A. Papazian
and the EU are in normal relationship.'
November 3 2013
A part of the society of Armenia has serious expectations with regard
to Vilnius summit on November, cherishing a hope that the Association
Agreement with the EU will be eventually signed, which was talked
about from the highest levels for four years continuously. These hopes
seem to be revealed after September 3, when the President of Armenia
announced that Armenia is ready to join the Customs Union, a
completely different system. This was followed by the Europe
`either-or' and the Armenian `and-and' theories. Europeans were saying
that we should clarify what we want, the CU or the EU, and our
officials claim that we can combine. Last week, too, even after the
fact when Armenia's orientation to CU was deepened at the meeting of
CIS heads in Minsk, several high-ranking officials insisted that
nevertheless something to be signed in Vilnius. We commenced our
conversation with the Country Director of `Eurasia Partnership
Foundation' Gevorg Ter-Gabrielyan with this very issue. - What do you
think, what kind of document will be signed in Vilnius? - In politics,
it is very important to have some timber-work, a methodological
approach to have the right approach to the questions. Forecasting is
not a problem of political science. Especially, when the general
expectation that Armenia devoting so many years to rapprochement with
Europe, will not divert from the course, was not justified. Any
beautiful document can be signed in Vilnius to show that Armenia and
the EU are good, and in normal relations, that Armenia has not yet
come out of the Eastern Partnership. A very specific document can also
be signed regarding bringing the process of visas to success, or a
partnership in a priority area, such as science. Nothing can also be
signed. Diplomacy enables making any move. I do not have any internal
information about expectations in Vilnius. I can only say what will
happen after Vilnius so that Armenia will not entirely lose this
historic moment. After Vilnius, Armenia will have few months that
Armenia, despite giving up with the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade
Agreement, will develop a profitable strategy with the EU regarding
the future. - In your speech you used the expression `divert from the
course'. What do you think do we have a way back from that diverted
path? - If by saying a way back you mean the Deep and Comprehensive
Free Trade Area Agreement and the EU Association Agreement adjacent to
it, integration of the documents with the EU, seems, passed into the
history, like the Armenian-Turkish protocols. If, on the other hand,
the matter is about the chances of Armenia in integration with the EU,
all the directions are open, historically open, and even more. I have
no doubts that if Armenia wants, some time later it may be a candidate
to the European Union membership. In other words, returning is
impossible, but progress is possible. Armenia is viewed by Europe as a
full European culture. If not us, then who? It's another matter that
the fate of the country is hard, it was not fortunate, it has certain
nomenclature and neighbors, but all of these is passable, but the
cultural unity is indisputable and historically durable.
Melania BARSEGHYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2013/11/03/162329/
From: A. Papazian