ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
December 1, 2017 Friday


Ara Babloyan: We can not be indifferent to both Eurasian and
pan-European processes

Yerevan December 1

Ani Mshetsyan. "There are many pages of cooperation between Armenia
and Europe in our history, and now it's time to write a new page that
will be devoted to our future." RA NA Speaker Ara Babloyan made such a
statement on December 1 during the parliamentary hearings held at the
joint initiative of the permanent commissions on foreign relations and
European integration, and with the support of the Armenian branch of
the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

For the sake of productive cooperation, as Babloyan stressed, it is
necessary to make efforts, "we have the political will, opportunities
and potential that contribute to the formation of a new stage of
cooperation between Armenia and the EU." Also, the Chairman of the
Parliament stressed, "we do not intend to build and strengthen these
relations through cooperation with any other country or structure." He
noted that Armenia has never been guided by the opposition of the
interests of its partners or even more so of friends. On the contrary,
the Armenian authorities have always sought to combine these
interests: "This is precisely the feature that our state is endowed
with and which is also valued by partner countries and structures."
Babloyan also noted the symbolism that the framework agreement between
the Republic of Armenia and the European Union was signed in the year
of the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome - the first step towards
the United Europe.

Ara Babloyan said that Armenia attaches great importance to the
European security system. The Speaker of the Parliament emphasized the
fact that the modern European security system is based on a kind of
triangle - the EU, the OSCE and NATO. Moreover, the OSCE is the most
active participant in the settlement of the Artsakh issue, since it is
the co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group - the only structure with an
international mandate for the settlement of the conflict.

"CSTO membership, which is the main guarantor of the security of the
post-Soviet space and the CIS, is of the utmost importance for us."
The Republic of Armenia can best balance cooperation with these two
security systems, while playing a role in helping to level out the
existing problems between them. an integral part of the Eurasian
region and at the same time Europe, and we can not be indifferent to
both the Eurasian and the European processes," Babloyan concluded.

The chairman of the permanent parliamentary commission on foreign
relations Armen Ashotyan stated that the signed agreement with the EU
is our achievement, and this agreement will contribute to the
implementation of the reforms planned by the Armenian authorities.
Ashotyan noted that this meeting has several objectives. The most
important goal is to inform the public about this document, since
public awareness on the political platform is important and promotes
the development of further cooperation.

The chairman of the permanent parliamentary commission for European
integration from the Tsarukyan bloc Naira Zohrabyan noted that it is
important that all residents of Armenia are aware that this agreement
will give each of them separately. Zohrabyan noted that one of the
main achievements is the planned reforms.

"We need to show political will to implement these reforms, the most
important thing is that these reforms should be implemented and not be
fixed only on paper." We expect this from the government, the
implementation of the promised reforms, "the MP said, stressing that
only those programs and those agreements that are beneficial to both
the society and the political forces of the country are always
successful.