OSKANIAN: THE ACTIONS PLAN WILL BRING ARMENIA’S SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC SYSTEMS MORE IN LINE WITH EUROPE’S

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 2 2006

RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian issued a statement on the
occasion of signing of the joint statements on the conclusion of
consultations on the Action Plan in the framework of the European
Neighborhood Policy.

"We welcome the Finnish Presidency here, in the person of my friend,
Erkii Tuomioja, the Finnish FM, and the representative of the European
Commission, Torben Holze, representing Benita Ferrero Waldner who
called to say she could not be here, because of local political
commitments in Austria. Thanks also to Ambassador Terhi Hakala
whose tireless efforts have brought us to this day, and also want to
recognize Ambassador Peter Semneby, the EU Special Representative to
the South Caucasus. Although this document will be signed in November,
in Brussels, we appreciate the delegation’s coming here to Armenia,
so that our public can share in this historic occasion.

I would also like to thank the NGOs and civil society for their
engagement and involvement in enhancing the content and make it more
representative of the wishes of our society.

Once the document is signed, we’ll be able to publicly present the
entire document. Let me just tell you that it says clearly, at the
outset, that through this Action Plan, Armenia is invited to enter into
intensified political, security, economic and cultural relations with
the EU, enhanced regional and cross border co-operation and shared
responsibility in conflict prevention and conflict resolution.

And the document, goes on to detail each of these categories, and
sets a 5-year time period during which each of these actions will
take place. This is a huge opportunity for Armenia to become the
beneficiary of a tried and true process to change what needs to be
changed, re-enforce and confirm that which needs to be affirmed –
in a word to strengthen the institutions of state.

The distinction of this document, as the joint statement clearly says,
is that it involves significant measures of economic integration
and political cooperation. It’s called an Action Plan and rightly
so. It is not just a document of intentions, but of concrete actions
to bring Armenia’s social, political, economic systems more in line
with Europe’s since the premise is that we do in fact live in the
same neighborhood and interact together. It opens new partnership
perspectives in very basic fields such as science, education, culture,
and of course in economic development.

These reforms are extremely important for Armenia. We are where we
are today, exactly because we made the courageous economic reforms on
Day 1 of our independence. We knew then and we know even better today
that reforms are our only resource, they are what will strengthen and
empower our society. This document provides the opportunity to move
forward with reforms in a focused, strategic way. It gives us a way
and a means to do what we know we must do – revamp our institutions,
retool our society, rethink our methods and assumptions. We are signing
this on the 15th year of our independence, it will be concluded on
the 20th year of our independence, and we will be able to mark a
new turning point in Armenia’s future as a more democratic, open and
prosperous society," the Foreign Minister’s message says.