INITIALING OF ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT WITH EU 'DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE' - STEFAN FULE
17:38 06.09.13
Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Štefan
Fule had discussions with Armenian Foreign Edward Nalbandian in
Brussels on Thursday about recent developments that have a clear impact
on the EU-Armenia association agenda. As stated by the Minister in his
press release they discussed Armenia´s decision to join the Customs
Union. The Minister stressed Armenia's wish to continue developing
a deep and wide partnership with the EU which would at the same time
not contradict Armenia's membership in the Customs Union.
Commissioner Fule said after the meeting: "We continue our assessment
of the new situation, including in on-going consultations with our
partners, and are in the process of informing our member states and
consulting with them. In light of Armenia's declared choice to join
the Customs Union it is however difficult to imagine the initialing at
Vilnius summit in November of the Association Agreement with Armenia as
it had been negotiated. Based on the information we presently have,
the compatibility of obligations to the Customs Union with those
under an Association Agreement/DCFTA with the EU looks problematic.
We intend to respect the sovereign right of our partners to choose
what integration framework or cooperation frameworks they would like to
pursue, and are convinced that it is in the interest of all to further
strengthen together with Armenia what we have jointly achieved over
the past years of partnership."
Armenian News - Tert.am
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
17:38 06.09.13
Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Štefan
Fule had discussions with Armenian Foreign Edward Nalbandian in
Brussels on Thursday about recent developments that have a clear impact
on the EU-Armenia association agenda. As stated by the Minister in his
press release they discussed Armenia´s decision to join the Customs
Union. The Minister stressed Armenia's wish to continue developing
a deep and wide partnership with the EU which would at the same time
not contradict Armenia's membership in the Customs Union.
Commissioner Fule said after the meeting: "We continue our assessment
of the new situation, including in on-going consultations with our
partners, and are in the process of informing our member states and
consulting with them. In light of Armenia's declared choice to join
the Customs Union it is however difficult to imagine the initialing at
Vilnius summit in November of the Association Agreement with Armenia as
it had been negotiated. Based on the information we presently have,
the compatibility of obligations to the Customs Union with those
under an Association Agreement/DCFTA with the EU looks problematic.
We intend to respect the sovereign right of our partners to choose
what integration framework or cooperation frameworks they would like to
pursue, and are convinced that it is in the interest of all to further
strengthen together with Armenia what we have jointly achieved over
the past years of partnership."
Armenian News - Tert.am
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress