MARGE MARDISALU-KAHAR: IT IS IMPORTANT THAT ARMENIA-EU RELATIONS BE AS DEEP AS POSSIBLE
Monday 20 October 2014 14:45
Photo: eceap.eu
Marge Mardisalu-Kahar
Yerevan/Mediamax/. "Informing the Public about EU-Related Issues and
EU-Funded Activities in Armenia" training organized for journalists,
representatives of the civil society and PR experts is held in Yerevan
on October 20-21.
Director at Estonian Center of Eastern Partnership Marge
Mardisalu-Kahar told Mediamax that there are a number of programs in
Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries and they aim to bring together
specialists to hold joint discussions to understand how they can
properly inform the public about the EU.
"The EaP states have opted for the EU Association Agreement, the other
three countries, among them Armenia, have taken another path. Despite
that, it is highly important for us that Armenia-EU relations be as
deep and mutually beneficial as possible. We should find the format of
the legal cooperation document, but the absence of the document does
not mean there are no relations at all", said Marge Mardisalu-Kahar.
During the training, Founding Director of the Regional Studies Center
(RSC), political scientist Richard Giragosian expressed an opinion
that presently the Armenian government should pay more attention
to relations with the EU, and human rights dialog to which Armenia
remains loyal should be the main touchstone.
"We should deepen relations in all areas", he said.
According to Head of European Department in the Foreign Ministry of
Armenia Mher Margaryan, Armenia's relations with the EU extend beyond
discussions over a legal document. He noted that there is already
broad cooperation within EaP framework.
"Discussions over the updating of the legal framework are expected
in the near future", he said.
Armenia-EU relations currently normalize by the Partnership and
Cooperation Agreement which entered into force in 1999 and expired in
2009. It was automatically extended over the past five years and was
to be replaced by the Association Agreement. After Armenia's refusal
to sign the Agreement, discussions over a new legal document have
been launched.
http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/foreignpolicy/11986/
Monday 20 October 2014 14:45
Photo: eceap.eu
Marge Mardisalu-Kahar
Yerevan/Mediamax/. "Informing the Public about EU-Related Issues and
EU-Funded Activities in Armenia" training organized for journalists,
representatives of the civil society and PR experts is held in Yerevan
on October 20-21.
Director at Estonian Center of Eastern Partnership Marge
Mardisalu-Kahar told Mediamax that there are a number of programs in
Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries and they aim to bring together
specialists to hold joint discussions to understand how they can
properly inform the public about the EU.
"The EaP states have opted for the EU Association Agreement, the other
three countries, among them Armenia, have taken another path. Despite
that, it is highly important for us that Armenia-EU relations be as
deep and mutually beneficial as possible. We should find the format of
the legal cooperation document, but the absence of the document does
not mean there are no relations at all", said Marge Mardisalu-Kahar.
During the training, Founding Director of the Regional Studies Center
(RSC), political scientist Richard Giragosian expressed an opinion
that presently the Armenian government should pay more attention
to relations with the EU, and human rights dialog to which Armenia
remains loyal should be the main touchstone.
"We should deepen relations in all areas", he said.
According to Head of European Department in the Foreign Ministry of
Armenia Mher Margaryan, Armenia's relations with the EU extend beyond
discussions over a legal document. He noted that there is already
broad cooperation within EaP framework.
"Discussions over the updating of the legal framework are expected
in the near future", he said.
Armenia-EU relations currently normalize by the Partnership and
Cooperation Agreement which entered into force in 1999 and expired in
2009. It was automatically extended over the past five years and was
to be replaced by the Association Agreement. After Armenia's refusal
to sign the Agreement, discussions over a new legal document have
been launched.
http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/foreignpolicy/11986/