EU INTRODUCES CO-OPERATION, BUT NOT COMPETITION IN REGION: ARMENIA’S DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER

Trend
Jan 23 2009
Azerbaijan

The European Union enables to soften serious conflicts in Caucasus
region and its activity promotes to settle the conflicts, Arman
Kirakosyan, Armenia’s deputy foreign minister, said.

"It is obvious that the EU introduces co-operation, but not competition
in the region," Kirakosyan said in his interview with Mediamax agency.

The co-operation of the EU with the Caucasus countries is implemented
via European Neighborhood Policy (ENP), one of which direction was
"Eastern Partnership" program.

The EU Eastern Partnership program is based on the principles of ENP,
but gives it more application character with the help of concrete
mechanisms," Kirakosyan said.

Eastern Partnership can be considered not as part of ENP, but
as qualitative new and thorough continuation of the last one,"
Kirakosyan said.

Kirakosyan said that the most significant distinction of Eastern
Partnership from ENP is to set more exact parameters of co-operation
with its help.

The initiative of Poland and Sweden concerning Eastern Partnership of
the EU new policy was approved on Dec. 4 by the European Commission. It
stipulates closer co-operation of the EU with 6 post Soviet countries,
including Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Moldova and may be
with Belorussia (upon its following the necessary democratic reforms).

Within the framework of the organization, talks concerning visa
abolition, introduction of free trade zones and conclusion of strategic
agreements will be held. Small projects on exchange of students,
protection of environment and energy supply will also be implemented.

According to Kirakosyan, the approaches of ENP and Eastern Partnership
to member countries are practically identical towards prospects
of the participating countries for the membership to the EU. The
participation in these initiatives doesn’t predetermine membership
of participating countries to the EU, he said.

Armenia has already begun to co-operate with the EU on two key issues
of Eastern Partnership, as the agreement on free trade zone and easing
of visa regime process, deputy minister said.