ARMENIA’S INVOLVEMENT IN REGIONAL ENERGY PROJECTS POSSIBLE DUE TO EASTERN PARTNERSHIP

ARKA
June 26, 2009

YEREVAN, June 26. /ARKA/. The EU Eastern Partnership program will
allow Armenia to be involved in regional energy projects , said
Richard Giragosyan, Director of the Armenian Center of National and
International Studies.

"In other words, debarring countries from participating in regional
energy projects creates energy security problems," Giragosyan said
at the international conference on Eastern Partnership and prospects
for building democracy in the South Caucasus.

He stressed that not only Russia and Turkey, but also Iran should
be considered for the approaches to Eastern Partnership to be more
realistic.

Early this May, in Prague, the capital of the EU chairing country,
a founding summit of the Eastern Partnership program was held, its
aim being closer relations between the EU and Azerbaijan, Armenia,
Georgia, Moldova, Belarus and Ukraine.

The program provides for the allocation of â~B¬600mln to the countries
before 2013 for consolidating state institutions, border control and
support to small businesses.