Mediamax, Armenia
Oct 11 2013
Deputy Lithuanian FM mulls EU-Armenia ties ahead of Vilnius summit
Yerevan, 10 October: Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of EU
anticipates Armenian presence on the Vilnius Summit of Eastern
Partnership on the highest level in November.
Andrius Krivas, Lithuanian Deputy Foreign Minister, said this during
his meeting with Armenian journalists in Vilnius.
"Armenian attendance in the Vilnius Summit and active participation in
all Eastern Partnership's activities are very important for Lithuanian
Presidency and all EU member-states. We hope to see Armenian
attendance on the summit on the top-level and hope that Armenian voice
would be heard during the debates. We also anticipate Armenian
participation in the process of summit's Declaration drafting and
adoption", Andrius Krivas said.
Speaking on the Association Agreement with the EU, the Lithuanian
Deputy FM stressed that Armenia used to be one of the leaders of this
process and they were very happy about successful completion of the
negotiations this summer.
"I would be not sincere if I said that it did not make any difference
to us then in early September Armenian leadership announced that
Armenia was going to join to Customs Union. Of course, it is free and
sovereign choice of any interested partner and EU respects sovereign
choices of our partners. But the results of efforts that both Armenia
and EU put into developing the Association Agreement and DCFTA are
currently shelved because some important provisions in AA and DCFTA
are incompatible with obligations that will be adopted by Armenia as a
member of Customs Union. Therefore currently the issue of initialling
of Association Agreement with Armenia is off the table", Andrius
Krivas noted.
At the same time he stressed that the EU leadership noted very serious
interest, expressed by the Armenian leadership and diplomatic
representatives in continuing the dialogue and close cooperation with
EU in order to look for new forms of cooperation, integration and
political association. Andrius Krivas assured that "we are open for
the searching of such forms and ways, but it will be a task for the
next phase after the Vilnius summit".
Oct 11 2013
Deputy Lithuanian FM mulls EU-Armenia ties ahead of Vilnius summit
Yerevan, 10 October: Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of EU
anticipates Armenian presence on the Vilnius Summit of Eastern
Partnership on the highest level in November.
Andrius Krivas, Lithuanian Deputy Foreign Minister, said this during
his meeting with Armenian journalists in Vilnius.
"Armenian attendance in the Vilnius Summit and active participation in
all Eastern Partnership's activities are very important for Lithuanian
Presidency and all EU member-states. We hope to see Armenian
attendance on the summit on the top-level and hope that Armenian voice
would be heard during the debates. We also anticipate Armenian
participation in the process of summit's Declaration drafting and
adoption", Andrius Krivas said.
Speaking on the Association Agreement with the EU, the Lithuanian
Deputy FM stressed that Armenia used to be one of the leaders of this
process and they were very happy about successful completion of the
negotiations this summer.
"I would be not sincere if I said that it did not make any difference
to us then in early September Armenian leadership announced that
Armenia was going to join to Customs Union. Of course, it is free and
sovereign choice of any interested partner and EU respects sovereign
choices of our partners. But the results of efforts that both Armenia
and EU put into developing the Association Agreement and DCFTA are
currently shelved because some important provisions in AA and DCFTA
are incompatible with obligations that will be adopted by Armenia as a
member of Customs Union. Therefore currently the issue of initialling
of Association Agreement with Armenia is off the table", Andrius
Krivas noted.
At the same time he stressed that the EU leadership noted very serious
interest, expressed by the Armenian leadership and diplomatic
representatives in continuing the dialogue and close cooperation with
EU in order to look for new forms of cooperation, integration and
political association. Andrius Krivas assured that "we are open for
the searching of such forms and ways, but it will be a task for the
next phase after the Vilnius summit".