ACNIC DIRECTOR: EUROPEAN UNION IS NOT NATO, AND EASTERN PARTNERSHIP IS NOT AN ASPECT OF EXPANSION OF ALLIANCE

ArmInfo
2009-06-26 16:13:00

ArmInfo. Both Moscow and Yerevan should remember that European Union
is not NATO, Eastern Partnership is not expansion of NATO, Director
of Armenian Center for National and International Studies Richard
Giragosian said at an international conference "Eastern Partnership and
Prospects of Democratic Construction in the South Caucasus", Friday.

Giragosian thinks that Eastern Partnership tests Armenia’s flexibility
in the context of Russia’s reaction, if one takes into account
that Russia carefully perceives this program of EU. According to
him, Armenia’s rapprochement with EU is not necessarily a challenge
against Russia, and the Armenian authorities should ne able to balance
Armenia’s needs with Russia’s desire and reaction, moreover, it is
not yet clear whether Armenia will manage to emerge from the ordeal.

The EU Eastern Partnership program was initiated by Poland and
Sweden and approved by 27 countries of EU at a summit in Brussels
in December 2008. The program envisages considerable raising of the
level of political cooperation, wide integration of former Soviet
republics Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldavia, Belarus and Ukraine
into EU economy, increasing volumes of financial support to them and
strengthening energy security. The program also envisages allocation
of 600 mln EUR to these 6 countries by 2013.