KAREN BEKARIAN: ARMENIAN PUBLIC SOMEHOW DISAPPOINTED IN EUROPEAN VALUES

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.01.2007 17:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Presently the system of European values and
interests of the EU states are close to each other but it’s worth
mentioning that they are not equal for all member states, "European
Integration" NGO chairman Karen Bekarian said during a round-table
discussion on the topic of "Leadership as a diving force towards
European integration." In his words, these are trial balloons that
will lead the European community either to consent or cataclysms.

"The future of Europe also depends on the extent nationalistic
movement corresponds to proclaimed European values. 5 states – Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova – are engaged in the European
Neighborhood Policy. To what extent goals and interests of these
states coincide with the common European stance?" Bekarian said. At
that he described the political situation in the South Caucasus as
gradual retreat of Russia and expansion of the United States. "Under
such conditions European integration means nothing for Armenia,"
the Armenian political scientist considers.

Karen Bekarian marked out the challenges Armenia faces on the way
to Eurointegration. "First, it’s the parliamentary election. Second,
some disappointment of the Armenian public in the European values. For
example, the EU welcomes election in Azerbaijan as democratic, but
it’s from being the truth. Prevalence of interests over democratic
values is clearly seen in this state. And last but not least – the
Turkish factor. We must know the real attitude of European community
about the fact of the Armenian Genocide," Bekarian said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress