Armenpress News Agency , Armenia Friday Armenia by its own experience proved the combination of different integration processes – Head of Armenian Mission to EU YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. By signing the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the European Union, Armenia showed by its own experience that it is possible to combine different integration processes benefiting from and to everyone which unites rather than divides, Armenia’s Ambassador to Belgium, Head of the Armenian Mission to the European Union Tatul Margaryan said in an exclusive interview to ARMENPRESS. He talked about the Armenia-EU cooperation and prospects of further developing the relations, as well as the CEPA provisions relating to economic cooperation and other spheres. -Mr. Ambassador, 2017 comes to its end which was distinguished by high-level visits and meetings in Armenia-EU ties. The last three years are assessed as especially active in terms of the Armenia-EU partnership. -The development of relations with the EU is among Armenia’s foreign policy priority directions and in this sense the high-level mutual visits, the continuous political dialogue between the sides at different levels allow to thoroughly speak about the issues of bilateral agenda, as well as international and regional developments. At the same time, Armenia made efforts to further intensify the partnership with the EU structures, member states, the concrete forms and directions aimed at further deepening the relations have been outlined on the sidelines of the CEPA preparation process and expansion of sectoral cooperation with the EU. In this regard the frequency of mutual visits and different events was really impressive. In July 2015 the President of the European Council Donald Tusk and in March 2016 the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini visited Armenia. In February 2017 Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan visited Brussels on a working visit. The President’s visits and participation in the EPP summits are being held on a regular basis. The Armenian foreign minister also regularly meets with the EU high-ranking officials both at the bilateral and multilateral formats within the frames of the Eastern Partnership. Moreover, numerous high-level events and forums at the Eastern Partnership format were held in Armenia, as well as expert-level meetings. And of course, the most important was the Armenian President’s participation in the Eastern Partnership’s 5th Summit in Brussels on November 24 where the signing ceremony of the Armenia-EU new agreement was held. -Mr. Ambassador, what are the concrete practical achievements in the Armenia-EU relations? What are the expectations from the agreement regarding the future development, how will it affect the further development of Armenia-EU ties? -First of all I want to state that Armenia is one of the EU’s partners which completely implemented all its commitments assumed at the Riga Summit in 2015. Previously, Armenia jointed the COSME and Horizon 2020 programs, initialed the agreement on Common Aviation Area, completed the talks on joining the Creative Europe program. Moreover, the Armenia-EU partnership agenda has expanded covering the road infrastructures. The EU is the largest donor of Armenia. Among the priorities of our bilateral agenda is the promotion of movement. Over the past three years Armenia and EU actively implement the agreement on visa facilitation and readmission, and the launch of the dialogue on visa liberalization should become the next logical step. This is also stated in the declaration of the Brussels summit. The EU remains a key trading partner for Armenia. Since 2009 Armenia uses the EU’s GSP+ privileged regime according to which 6.400 types of Armenian products are imported to the markets of the EU states at zero or reduced customs rates. In response to your question I want to state that those who had a chance to get familiarized with the text of the new agreement I think will agree that the CEPA is an ambitious and comprehensive document. The agreement strengthens the comprehensive political and economic partnership and cooperation between Armenia and the EU based on common values, and puts a beginning for the Armenia-EU more effective bilateral partnership, reflects Armenia’s determination to continue the reforms by strengthening the democratic institutions. By the agreement the sides reaffirm their commitments to the principles of free market economy, sustainable development, regional and effective multilateral cooperation. At the same time it is obvious that in line with being an important achievement, the signing of the CEPA is not an end in itself, rather it aims at improving the living standards of our citizens and supposes a targeted work of the sides in order to record tangible results. Full interview is available in Armenian.