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BRUSSELS SHOCKED BY ARMENIA'S DECISION AND AWAITS CLARIFICATION FROM YEREVAN
Trend, Azerbaijan
Sept 4 2013
Diplomats and officials in Brussels are shocked by the unexpected turn
of Armenia, which announced its intention to join the Customs Union
of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia, Secretary General of the Heritage
Party Stepan Safarian who is in the Belgian capital of Brussels on
an EU programme said, Novosti-Armenia reported.
On Tuesday, after talks between the Armenian and Russian Presidents,
Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir Putin, it was stated that Armenia intends
to join the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia and
subsequently participate in the formation of the Eurasian Economic
Community.
"For the past several hours they can hide neither their surprise,
nor rage and it was obvious at all the meetings. Both the European
Commission and Parliament are waiting for Yerevan to offer an
explanation. I wonder what fairy-tale they will come up with this
time," Safarian wrote on his Facebook page.
A summit of the EU leadership and leaders of EU Eastern Partnership
programme member states will be held on November 2013 in Vilnus.
During the summit it is expected to initial an Association Agreement
and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with several countries
including Armenia.
The Eastern Partnership initiative was put forward by Poland and
Sweden, approved at the EU summit in Brussels in 2008 and officially
established in May 2009 in Prague.
The programme's goal is the convergence of the EU to Ukraine, Armenia,
Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Belarus without their admission to
the EU.
The programme provides a significant increase in the level of political
cooperation and broad integration of the former Soviet republics in
the EU economy, increasing the amount of financial assistance for
them and strengthening energy security.
Trend, Azerbaijan
Sept 4 2013
Diplomats and officials in Brussels are shocked by the unexpected turn
of Armenia, which announced its intention to join the Customs Union
of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia, Secretary General of the Heritage
Party Stepan Safarian who is in the Belgian capital of Brussels on
an EU programme said, Novosti-Armenia reported.
On Tuesday, after talks between the Armenian and Russian Presidents,
Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir Putin, it was stated that Armenia intends
to join the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia and
subsequently participate in the formation of the Eurasian Economic
Community.
"For the past several hours they can hide neither their surprise,
nor rage and it was obvious at all the meetings. Both the European
Commission and Parliament are waiting for Yerevan to offer an
explanation. I wonder what fairy-tale they will come up with this
time," Safarian wrote on his Facebook page.
A summit of the EU leadership and leaders of EU Eastern Partnership
programme member states will be held on November 2013 in Vilnus.
During the summit it is expected to initial an Association Agreement
and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with several countries
including Armenia.
The Eastern Partnership initiative was put forward by Poland and
Sweden, approved at the EU summit in Brussels in 2008 and officially
established in May 2009 in Prague.
The programme's goal is the convergence of the EU to Ukraine, Armenia,
Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Belarus without their admission to
the EU.
The programme provides a significant increase in the level of political
cooperation and broad integration of the former Soviet republics in
the EU economy, increasing the amount of financial assistance for
them and strengthening energy security.