ARMENIA AND CAUCASUS AT THE THRESHOLD OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

armradio.am
16.12.2008 17:45

The European Armenian Federation warmly welcomes the decision of
the European Council to establish an "Eastern Partnership" (EaP)
with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldavia and Ukraine.

Last Friday, the Council adopted the European Commission’s proposal
which aims at setting up such a partnership to extend the dispositions
of the current European Neighbourhood Policy to the countries located
to the East of the European Union. This new Eastern Partnership, based
on a "differentiated approach" will respect each partner country’s
"own way forward and speed" and will provide practically almost all
of the economic and social advantages of the European Union to the
five States with the exception of opening the doors to the Union’s
political institutions. Nevertheless, the Commission’s proposal does
not "prejudice to individual countries’ aspirations for their future
relationship with the EU"

"At the current stage of EU integration, the Eastern Partnership
constitutes certainly the most advanced level of relations which could
be hoped for these countries. We warmly commend this courageous step
forward which shows voluntarism and offers to Armenia and to the
Caucasus a real opportunity of peaceful and balanced development"
declared Laurent Leylekian, the executive director of the European
Armenian Federation.

In fact, the Eastern Partnership proposes a deepening of bilateral
engagements with the Non-member States and the establishment of
a multilateral co-operation framework. The bilateral engagements
will progressively include a "deep and comprehensive free trade
area", a visas facilitation policy – then later on abandonment of
visa requirements for the nationals of these countries – police and
judicial co-operations, the integration of Ukraine and Moldavia in
European Energy Community and the signing memoranda of understandings
with Armenia, Georgia and Moldavia on Energy transit and security
and also on regional policies, regional programmes of development
and participation to transnational programmes in South-Eastern,
Central and Northern Europe.

The multilateral co-operation framework in its turn considers four
"thematic platforms" ("democracy, good governance and stability",
"economic integration and convergence with the EU policies", "energy
security" and "contact between people"), emblematic "flagship"
initiatives and increased participation of the civil society through
ad hoc forums, parliamentary initiative EuroNest – associating
the European Parliament with the related national Parliaments –
the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social
Committee.

"This is an extremely ambitious program which, in particul ar,
recognizes and gives an appropriate place to the civil society. In
this context, Armenia and Europe have a particular card in their
favour, that of the European Armenian Diaspora" continued Laurent
Leylekian. "This Diaspora constitutes the natural bond, the facilitator
of the Eastern Partnership with Armenia. In this perspective, the
European Armenian Federation which is ready to remain the privileged
interlocutor with the European institutions as well as the Armenian
government will play its role" concluded Leylekian.

The financial instrument of the Neighbourhood Policy had planned a
billion Euros of support for the period 2007 – 2010 and the Eastern
Partnership will increase this amount by 600 million Euros for 2010 –
2013. This new Eastern Policy will be inaugurated during a summit,
envisaged in spring 2009, in the presence of all the leaders of the
27 States and those of the countries concerned.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress