ARMENIA ENJOYS AN IMPORTANT PLACE AMONG THE PRIORITIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

PanARMENIAN.Net
Analytical Department
25.09.2007 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ According to experts, reforms in education,
together with reforms in other fields may have its essential role
in establishment of democratic institutions and dissemination of
democratic values.

According to the temporary EU Charge D’affaires in Armenia Raul de
Luzenberger, within the frames of the ENP (European Neighborhood
Policy) program, after the Armenia-EU Action Plan has been confirmed,
both sides take more active steps for establishing healthier
relations. "Presently the European Parliament is satisfied with
the process of reforms being realized in Armenia, and now considers
establishing a free trade area and granting the status of commercial
relations to the economic ties with Yerevan," he mentioned. Besides
he underlined that the EU may not force anyone into cooperation, it
may render assistance to those countries only, which have voluntarily
made their decision on cooperation. Alike was the statement made
by the European Commission’s Acting Director for Eastern Europe,
South Caucasus and Central Asia, Mr Gunnar Wiegand According to him,
today Armenia and EU are in a very responsible phase.

"Reforms in political and economic spheres, which are being carried
out by the Armenian Government make us believe that the country is on
its right path. We are both happy and surprised with the changes that
have already been registered since the Action Plan has been signed,"
mentioned the representative of the European Commission. He also thinks
that the further development of the Armenian economy will be fulfilled
in a fair way. "We pay a particular attention to the development of
private business, for this is what provides export. Three years ago EU
assigned 10 million Euros to Armenia within the frames of the TASIS
program, this year the sum was 21 million, and in 2008 it will be 24
million Euros. These funds will go to the reforms and support of the
private business and its compliance with the European standards,"
said Wiegand

He also said that the provision of the stability of a democratic
State, reforms in government and decreasing the poverty in villages
in particular are among the priorities of the cooperation. "As
for establishing free trade area in Armenia, in the given phase we
only study the independent experts. If these studies give positive
results, it will be possible to consider the establishment of the
above mentioned market zone more seriously," said Wiegand.

The right to vote in equal with the 27 Member Countries of the EU
on several issues of the international politics is among the great
accomplishments of the country. As the RA Minister of Foreign Affairs
Vartan Oskanyan says, it is a very vital achievement and among the
countries of South Caucasus only Armenia has so far gained this right.

The truth is though, that in some certain issues and in particular
in Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict regulation and the stabilization of the
Armenian-Turkish relations EU participates only as an observer. On the
one hand, EU hardly lacks key factors for assisting to the issue of the
conflict resolution, with the OSCE Minsk Group of course. EU’s position
in the issue of stabilization of the Armenian-Turkish relations is
rather firm; the State, having closed the border with the country CE
Member, may not be accepted in the EU unless it opens the borders. In
any case, Armenia’s integration into Europe is a stronger motivation
for the country’s development than it would seem from the first sight.