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DAVID SHAHNAZARYAN: 'THE EUROPEAN UNION MUST NOT TAKE ARMENIA OFF THE ASSOCIATION PROGRAM'S AGENDA'
September 11 2013
According to David Shahnazaryan, otherwise it would mean that Kremlin's
pressure affected also Brussels "The European Union has no plans
to finalize an Association Agreement with Armenia at an upcoming
EU summit in Lithuania," Sweden's Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said
on Monday. Writing on his Twitter account, Bildt said he and his
visiting Slovak counterpart Miroslav Lajcak agreed at a meeting in
Stockholm that the deal with Yerevan is "now off the table." "We work
with Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia," he added. Aravot.am asked David
Shahnazaryan whether this explicit statement made by a high-ranking
European official was justified. 'If the European Union decides after
all to take Armenia off the Association Program I think it would be
a wrongly calculated, situation-prompted and emotional decision.
Brussels must not close the door of opportunities to Armenia because
that would mean that Russia's pressure on Armenia that resulted in its
decision to join the Customs Union affected also Brussels,' he said.
"It would mean that the Kremlin's imperial ambitions affect Brussels
too. Accession to the Customs Union is a prolonged process, a vague
path filled with uncertainties and it is a big question whether
it will be accomplished or not. The European Union should continue
partnership cooperation with the Republic of Armenia within the frames
of the Association Program." In response to Aravot.am question whether
Europeans had an alternative not to close the door of opportunities
to Armenia given the fact that the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade
Area (DCFTA) agreement is incompatible with a membership in the
Customs Union, Mr. Shahnazaryan said. 'It is obvious that the DCFTA
and a membership in the Customs Union are absolutely incompatible,
however one should proceed from the reality that plagued with internal
disagreements the Customs Union is actually falling apart and as an
organization has neither future nor present. It is also a big question
whether the path which Armenia will have to pass towards the Customs
Union membership will accomplish in a way planned by the Kremlin.
Rapidly unfolding geopolitical and regional processes do not contribute
to Armenia's full membership in the Customs Union either,' concluded
Mr. Shahnazaryan. Emma Gabrielyan
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2013/09/11/161570/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
September 11 2013
According to David Shahnazaryan, otherwise it would mean that Kremlin's
pressure affected also Brussels "The European Union has no plans
to finalize an Association Agreement with Armenia at an upcoming
EU summit in Lithuania," Sweden's Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said
on Monday. Writing on his Twitter account, Bildt said he and his
visiting Slovak counterpart Miroslav Lajcak agreed at a meeting in
Stockholm that the deal with Yerevan is "now off the table." "We work
with Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia," he added. Aravot.am asked David
Shahnazaryan whether this explicit statement made by a high-ranking
European official was justified. 'If the European Union decides after
all to take Armenia off the Association Program I think it would be
a wrongly calculated, situation-prompted and emotional decision.
Brussels must not close the door of opportunities to Armenia because
that would mean that Russia's pressure on Armenia that resulted in its
decision to join the Customs Union affected also Brussels,' he said.
"It would mean that the Kremlin's imperial ambitions affect Brussels
too. Accession to the Customs Union is a prolonged process, a vague
path filled with uncertainties and it is a big question whether
it will be accomplished or not. The European Union should continue
partnership cooperation with the Republic of Armenia within the frames
of the Association Program." In response to Aravot.am question whether
Europeans had an alternative not to close the door of opportunities
to Armenia given the fact that the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade
Area (DCFTA) agreement is incompatible with a membership in the
Customs Union, Mr. Shahnazaryan said. 'It is obvious that the DCFTA
and a membership in the Customs Union are absolutely incompatible,
however one should proceed from the reality that plagued with internal
disagreements the Customs Union is actually falling apart and as an
organization has neither future nor present. It is also a big question
whether the path which Armenia will have to pass towards the Customs
Union membership will accomplish in a way planned by the Kremlin.
Rapidly unfolding geopolitical and regional processes do not contribute
to Armenia's full membership in the Customs Union either,' concluded
Mr. Shahnazaryan. Emma Gabrielyan
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2013/09/11/161570/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress