ARMENIA GOES ON WITH EURO-ATLANTIC INTEGRATION: SEMNEBY

news.am
Nov 2 2009
Armenia

Turkey initiated reconciliation with Armenia not due to benevolence
towards the country, but because it is in Turkey’s interests, EU
Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby told in
Nov. 2 interview with Russian Vremya Novostey daily.

According to him, this step is one of the first marks of Turkish new
policy towards neighbors. Though the solution to the issue is of
vital importance to Armenia, "the completion of the process is in
Turkey’s interests." The official expressed confidence concerning
the final ratification of the Protocols, underlining impossibility
of full guarantee of the issue.

"Normalization will give new opportunities that will positively impact
on the security and regional economy," he added. Commenting on the
remark that Armenian, Azerbaijani and Karabakhi leaders nonetheless
come to Moscow after each breakthrough in Armenian-Turkish process,
Semneby replied that Russia’s interests in the South Caucasus are of
no secret and "the country wishes to protect it."

"The fact that Russia links its interests with progress in these
complicated settlement processes, is a positive factor. If Russia
plays active role in the issues’ settlement, we can do nothing but
welcome it," Semneby said, adding that Russia has significant economic
interests in Armenia and diversification of the economy as well as
increase of dynamics is also in Russia’s interests. "The major factor
for the economic growth is border opening with Turkey."

As to the further prospects on Armenia’s Euro-Atlantic integration
after the problems’ solution with Turkey, Semneby underlined that
Armenia also participates in the EU programs, such as European
neighborhood and Eastern Partnership along with other states. He
also informed that the talks on association membership with EU will
commence shortly: "It will continue regardless the border opening."