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EU REMAINS COMMITTED TO STRENGTHENING BILATERAL COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA
18:46, 25 Feb 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan
"Despite Armenia's decision in September 2013 not to sign the
Association Agreement/DCFTA with the EU but rather join the Eurasian
Economic Union (EEU), the EU remains committed to further engage
with Armenia, and to strengthen bilateral cooperation within the
Eastern Partnership, in all areas compatible with Armenia's more
recent policy choices," Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia Traian
Hristea at the conference on "EU-Armenia Cooperation: Perspective in
the Actual Political Environment"
"Currently, we are reflecting jointly with our Armenian counterparts
on the scope for future EU-Armenia relations. Following the Joint
Statement issued at EaP Vilnius summit November 2013 both sides have
started a joint reflection on how to revisit the legal basis for
their relations," he said.
"On 4 November 2014, the EU and Armenia have launched in Brussels
a scoping exercise on the future legal and political framework for
EU-Armenia relations, based on information as regards to Armenia's EEU
commitments and their possible implications on future relations with
EU. Both sides agreed to "safeguard" the negotiated but not initialled
AA/DCFTA and to use it as reference to this aim," Hristea added.
"As long as good governance, reform of the judiciary, rule of law,
human rights do not form part of the official Eurasian integration
process, there is plenty of room for the EU to engage Armenia, and
for Armenia to demonstrate their commitment to reform. The upcoming
human rights sector budget support is in that regard a welcome step
- and at the same time a litmus test, for which the more-for-more
principle also applies," the Head of EU Delegation said.
He also attached importance to making best use of the significant
EU assistance of 140-170 million EUR for the period of 2014-2017,
focusing on private sector development, public administration reform
and justice sector reform.
"Moreover, we need to further promote mobility of citizens of
Armenia and people-to-people contacts once a steady and satisfactory
implementation of the visa facilitation and readmission agreements is
confirmed. Negotiating a Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement with
Armenia is a policy objective outlined in the Eastern Partnership Road
Map. Armenia has expressed interest and readiness to negotiate the
agreement and the European Commission sent a fact finding mission to
assess the possibility of preparing a mandate for negotiations. We will
also need to strengthen our cooperation within the EaP's multilateral
dimension in 2015, in particular the four multilateral platforms and
the flagship initiatives and contribute together to the success of
the 4th EaP Summit in Riga. And last but not least to continue the
EaP-related dialogue during the Euronest meeting in Yerevan at the
parliamentary level," Hristea stated.
The envoy said "the EU is seriously concerned over the security
situation in the region, especially after the unprecedented
increase of tension and recent events at the line of contact in
Nagorno-Karabakh." "The protracted Nagorno-Karabakh conflict does not
have a military solution and the status quo is unsustainable. Although
we are not part of the OSCE Minsk group negotiation mechanism,
the EU further supports efforts towards peace through the EUSR and
peacebuilding activities."
"The EU also continues to supports the normalisation of
Armenian-Turkish relations and encourages both sides to remain
committed to the process of normalisation without preconditions,
despite the withdrawal of protocols signed back in 2009 from
parliaments of both countries. This year's commemoration of atrocities
committed by the Ottoman Empire also is considered by us a test-case
for Armenia-Turkey relations," he stated.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2015/02/25/eu-remains-committed-to-strengthening-bilateral-cooperation-with-armenia/
18:46, 25 Feb 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan
"Despite Armenia's decision in September 2013 not to sign the
Association Agreement/DCFTA with the EU but rather join the Eurasian
Economic Union (EEU), the EU remains committed to further engage
with Armenia, and to strengthen bilateral cooperation within the
Eastern Partnership, in all areas compatible with Armenia's more
recent policy choices," Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia Traian
Hristea at the conference on "EU-Armenia Cooperation: Perspective in
the Actual Political Environment"
"Currently, we are reflecting jointly with our Armenian counterparts
on the scope for future EU-Armenia relations. Following the Joint
Statement issued at EaP Vilnius summit November 2013 both sides have
started a joint reflection on how to revisit the legal basis for
their relations," he said.
"On 4 November 2014, the EU and Armenia have launched in Brussels
a scoping exercise on the future legal and political framework for
EU-Armenia relations, based on information as regards to Armenia's EEU
commitments and their possible implications on future relations with
EU. Both sides agreed to "safeguard" the negotiated but not initialled
AA/DCFTA and to use it as reference to this aim," Hristea added.
"As long as good governance, reform of the judiciary, rule of law,
human rights do not form part of the official Eurasian integration
process, there is plenty of room for the EU to engage Armenia, and
for Armenia to demonstrate their commitment to reform. The upcoming
human rights sector budget support is in that regard a welcome step
- and at the same time a litmus test, for which the more-for-more
principle also applies," the Head of EU Delegation said.
He also attached importance to making best use of the significant
EU assistance of 140-170 million EUR for the period of 2014-2017,
focusing on private sector development, public administration reform
and justice sector reform.
"Moreover, we need to further promote mobility of citizens of
Armenia and people-to-people contacts once a steady and satisfactory
implementation of the visa facilitation and readmission agreements is
confirmed. Negotiating a Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement with
Armenia is a policy objective outlined in the Eastern Partnership Road
Map. Armenia has expressed interest and readiness to negotiate the
agreement and the European Commission sent a fact finding mission to
assess the possibility of preparing a mandate for negotiations. We will
also need to strengthen our cooperation within the EaP's multilateral
dimension in 2015, in particular the four multilateral platforms and
the flagship initiatives and contribute together to the success of
the 4th EaP Summit in Riga. And last but not least to continue the
EaP-related dialogue during the Euronest meeting in Yerevan at the
parliamentary level," Hristea stated.
The envoy said "the EU is seriously concerned over the security
situation in the region, especially after the unprecedented
increase of tension and recent events at the line of contact in
Nagorno-Karabakh." "The protracted Nagorno-Karabakh conflict does not
have a military solution and the status quo is unsustainable. Although
we are not part of the OSCE Minsk group negotiation mechanism,
the EU further supports efforts towards peace through the EUSR and
peacebuilding activities."
"The EU also continues to supports the normalisation of
Armenian-Turkish relations and encourages both sides to remain
committed to the process of normalisation without preconditions,
despite the withdrawal of protocols signed back in 2009 from
parliaments of both countries. This year's commemoration of atrocities
committed by the Ottoman Empire also is considered by us a test-case
for Armenia-Turkey relations," he stated.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2015/02/25/eu-remains-committed-to-strengthening-bilateral-cooperation-with-armenia/