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EASTERN PARTNERSHIP PROJECT FROZEN FOR ARMENIA - OPINION
16:50 ~U 22.11.13
By deciding to join the Eurasian Customs Union, Armenia suspended
its membership in the EU Eastern Partnership project, according to
an expert.
Speaking at the public debate Armenia and Georgia: From Warsaw to
Vilnius and Beyond, Stepan Grigoryan, the president of the Analytical
Centre on Globalisation and Regional Cooperation (ACGRC), compared
Armenia's Customs Union move with the current situation in Ukraine.
"Phenomena similar to those in Armenia can be projected on Ukraine.
They made a decision not to sign any document in Vilnius, but that
means that Ukraine is, to an extent, freezing the cooperation process,"
he said, adding that the country may impose its borders on Europe in
case it decides to ever return to the process.
"I regret that we froze the cooperation, even after Ukraine's decision,
because the countries which will continue the work with the EU will
gain more benefits and become more developed," he said, stressing the
importance of developing enough skills to work with Russia which is
very sensitive to European integration issues.
Grigoryan said it's normal to see Europe adopt a negative stance to
the Armenia's Customs Union efforts, adding that the rules of the
formal game rules also conflict with the World Trade Organization's
principles. "We are a member of that organization, so we cannot adopt
conflicting decisions," he added.
Armenian News - Tert.am
16:50 ~U 22.11.13
By deciding to join the Eurasian Customs Union, Armenia suspended
its membership in the EU Eastern Partnership project, according to
an expert.
Speaking at the public debate Armenia and Georgia: From Warsaw to
Vilnius and Beyond, Stepan Grigoryan, the president of the Analytical
Centre on Globalisation and Regional Cooperation (ACGRC), compared
Armenia's Customs Union move with the current situation in Ukraine.
"Phenomena similar to those in Armenia can be projected on Ukraine.
They made a decision not to sign any document in Vilnius, but that
means that Ukraine is, to an extent, freezing the cooperation process,"
he said, adding that the country may impose its borders on Europe in
case it decides to ever return to the process.
"I regret that we froze the cooperation, even after Ukraine's decision,
because the countries which will continue the work with the EU will
gain more benefits and become more developed," he said, stressing the
importance of developing enough skills to work with Russia which is
very sensitive to European integration issues.
Grigoryan said it's normal to see Europe adopt a negative stance to
the Armenia's Customs Union efforts, adding that the rules of the
formal game rules also conflict with the World Trade Organization's
principles. "We are a member of that organization, so we cannot adopt
conflicting decisions," he added.
Armenian News - Tert.am