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EU EASTERN PARTNERSHIP WAS BASED ON "EITHER WITH US OR AGAINST US" LOGIC, RUSSIAN FM STATES
Monday 31 March 2014 10:21
Photo: http://cdn1.img22.ria.ru/
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
Yerevan /Mediamax/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated
that "the very idea of EU Eastern Partnership project was based on
"either with us or against us" logic.
The Russian FM said this in his interview to Vesti TV program,
Mediamax reports.
Mediamax notes that Armenian and EU leadership used to make
diametrically opposite assessments.
In July 2013, EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy
Stefan Fule said in Yerevan that Armenia shouldn't face the choice
of cooperation with EU or Russia.
"We have never told our partners: stop or reduce your cooperation
with Russian partners. Vice versa, we clearly say that the commitments
within Eastern Partnership can't have a negative impact on traditional
ties with Russia. We state the same thing in Moscow, too", said Stefan
Fule. He noted that the EU "encourages to continue the cooperation with
Russia which Armenia thinks important and relevant to its interests".
Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said in his interview to
"Kommersant" newspaper in April 2012 that EU Eastern Partnership
program is not aimed at weakening of Russia's positions.
"Armenia is a small country. It cannot play with the diplomacy. Our
strategic partner, Russia, knows about all our cooperation programs, be
it with the EU, NATO, USA, Iran, China or Georgia. Russia understands
what we are doing. If we look at the issue from the positions of
Yerevan, it becomes clear that we don't have big choice for the
development of partner relations, taking into consideration our
geopolitical situation and the problems with the neighbors. But we
do not hide anything from our partners and this is our strength,"
the PM said then.
http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/foreignpolicy/9705/
Monday 31 March 2014 10:21
Photo: http://cdn1.img22.ria.ru/
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
Yerevan /Mediamax/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated
that "the very idea of EU Eastern Partnership project was based on
"either with us or against us" logic.
The Russian FM said this in his interview to Vesti TV program,
Mediamax reports.
Mediamax notes that Armenian and EU leadership used to make
diametrically opposite assessments.
In July 2013, EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy
Stefan Fule said in Yerevan that Armenia shouldn't face the choice
of cooperation with EU or Russia.
"We have never told our partners: stop or reduce your cooperation
with Russian partners. Vice versa, we clearly say that the commitments
within Eastern Partnership can't have a negative impact on traditional
ties with Russia. We state the same thing in Moscow, too", said Stefan
Fule. He noted that the EU "encourages to continue the cooperation with
Russia which Armenia thinks important and relevant to its interests".
Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said in his interview to
"Kommersant" newspaper in April 2012 that EU Eastern Partnership
program is not aimed at weakening of Russia's positions.
"Armenia is a small country. It cannot play with the diplomacy. Our
strategic partner, Russia, knows about all our cooperation programs, be
it with the EU, NATO, USA, Iran, China or Georgia. Russia understands
what we are doing. If we look at the issue from the positions of
Yerevan, it becomes clear that we don't have big choice for the
development of partner relations, taking into consideration our
geopolitical situation and the problems with the neighbors. But we
do not hide anything from our partners and this is our strength,"
the PM said then.
http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/foreignpolicy/9705/