YEREVAN (Combined Sources)—EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule told journalists in Yerevan Friday that the European Union will not sign any documents with Armenia at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius, scheduled for late November.
“The agreement on a deep and comprehensive free trade area is part of the Association Agreement. It is a single document, and one can not be separated from the other,” Fule said after an informal meeting of foreign ministers of the Eastern Partnership program’s member countries in Yerevan.
Asked about the possibility of preparing a document providing a new format of cooperation between the EU and Armenia, Fule said that such a serious document can not be prepared prior to the Vilnius summit. He added, however, that the EU does not refuse further cooperation with Armenia.
Speaking at the meeting, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said, “Over the past years, in cooperation with our European colleagues, the Armenian government implemented large-scale reforms, particularly in the areas of strengthening of democratic institutions and the rule of law, good governance, protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, improvement of election processes and the electoral code, and the development of civil society.” Nalbandian added, “We are thankful for that support and look forward to continuing our reforms in the future.”
The Minister underlined that Armenia has allied relations with Russia, and this was the reason behind the decision to join the Customs Union.
“We have said on many occasions that we are ready to launch close cooperation with the European Union, but not at the expense of our strategic partner,” Nalbandian stated.
“Armenia is determined to maintain and advance the achievements and progress registered in the course of its relations with the European Union over the past years,” Edward Nalbandian said.
Stefan Fule, who was also at the meeting in Yerevan, stated, “The EU remains committed to advancing the Eastern Partnership with all six partner countries. Our intentions and policies are clear, transparent, predictable and differentiable – reflecting the ambitions of our partners and their commitment to values and principles that form the basis of our relations. We have always acted in this way and will continue to do so – in the run up to the Vilnius summit and beyond.”
“We are not in the business of building walls. We are in the process that could eventually lead to a free trade zone between Lisbon and Vladivostok,” Commissioner Fule said.
“The development of the Eurasian Union project must respect our partners’ sovereign decisions. Any threats from Russia linked to the possible signing of agreements with the European Union are unacceptable. The European Union will support and stand by those who are subject to undue pressures,” he said.
“I’ve come to understand what Armenia’s expectations are from the Vilnius Summit,” Commissioner Fule said, adding that the AA/DCFTA are part of one treaty that cannot be separated.
“The greatest expectations are connected with the Association Agreement and the creation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. Such agreements will be signed with Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia,” Fule explained, noting that Armenia’s announcement about its plans to join the Customs Union will not allow it to initial the Association Agreement, which had been negotiated for three years.
As for the statement made by the EU Delegation to Armenia on the recent violent incidents against activists and human rights defenders, the Commissioner said: “The EU has expressed deep concerns and called on Armenian authorities to take decisive action to bring the perpetrators to justice.”
Moldova’s Foreign Minister Natalia German stated that despite pressures, Moldova is ready to sign the Association Agreement. The Georgian and Ukrainian Foreign Ministers expressed the same.
Since they are not signing it anymore, can they make public the SECRET protocols they were pressuring Armenia to sign? Where is the famous EU transparency when we need it?
I feel sorry for these new banana republics: “Such agreements will be signed with Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia”
1- Are you positive that the EU is the one hiding the document and not Armenia?
2-You find that countries joining a 28 member free-trade zone where all countries have equal representation in a democratic parliament to be ‘banana republics’, yet you don’t think that word applies better to Armenia’s decision to join a Russia dominated union of dictators??
It should be obvious to all concerned Armenians around the world that the EU does not care one bit about Armenia, Armenians, or improving economic relations with Armenia or improving Armenia’s economy. EU leaders are control freaks, they are only interested in spreading their nefarious influence into the South Caucasus region in a desperate attempt to lessen Russia’s death grip over the pipelines which supply a good majority of Europe’s energy needs.
Europe proves that behind all of its supposed ideals, like helping Armenia and other states achieve “democracy” (read: rule by an EU/US/NATO puppet like saakashvili in georgia rather than by a legitimate Armenian government which is allied with Russia against the EU’s favorite partners the turks); helping spread “freedom” (read: anarchy in a targeted society where Europe’s own banksters and oligarchs can bleed the population dry); and “economic aid” (read: debt and loans designed to corrupt a targeted nations leadership and which that nation will never be able to repay), behind all of these lies is a very dangerous political agenda designed to remove the Russian control, and consequently Russian military protection, which is keeping Armenia internally-stable, safe from turkey and keeping bankrupt Armenia AHEAD in the arms race with azerbaijan.
It’ been said before by other commentors here, but the EU is a sinking ship, and one needs to look no further than Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, Spain, Portugal to imagine how Armenia would be enslaved financially were it to associate with the EU. And one needs to look no further than those countries plus Germany, France, and every other developed nation in Europe to see what kind of demographic disaster EU membership brings, as all of those countries are now full of turkish, asian, african and muslim immigrants.
So if Europe wants to “punish” Armenia by forbidding an improvement of Armenia’s trade relations with the EU because of jealousy and bitterness over Armenia’s relations with Russia, that’s Europe’s problem. Armenia’s future is with Eurasia, not the EU.
What did the E.U. ever do for the Armenians…..talk,talk,talk. They have kissed jerky turkeys as-.Russia may have not been the last choice,but,with her around,jerky turkey,will always back-off..The COWARDS will never contest the BIG BEAR. Always a country 50 times smaller,UNARMED,women,children,old people,after confiscating their arms….The reason I repeat myself,jerky turkey LIES,and I have to tell the truthful story…..
Armenias way is in Agreement with Russia !.
Arn.Sweden.
We don’t want to be an appendix of the EU farm. We don,t want to be a province of the EU and by extension a reborn vilayet of Turkey. Any association with the EU brings with it the shadow and adumbrance of the unspeakable Turks . Armenia,s position in the EU configuration would be more dramatic and bucolic than that of Greece, Greece a EU member has been driven to her knees economically, socially and politically by the Kleptocrats of the EU. Enough is enough, Armenia shall not surrender her sovereignty to some gang of grey bureaucrats ensconced in a supranational hub in Brussels preaching open borders and the democratic dissolution of national identities. We want our national sovereignty untainted and unsoiled. Long live the Armenian nation state.
but you don’t mind being a slave of Russia?
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Do you even have any clue what the DCFTA aggrement is???? where did you get the idea that Armenia was giving up its sovereignty to the EU?? it was a free-trade agreement with the largest trading block in the world..Armenia wasn’t about to join the EU … Yet i find it interesting that you so adamently oppose the idea of Armenia trading goods with the EU (goods that Armenia gets anyway since the EU is our largest trading partner, but we pay heavy customs to get) Yet you don’t mind the fact that on sept 3rd, Sargsyan was summoned to Moscow by Putin and ordered to join the customs union (a move that constutitionally the president of Armenian cannot do) – do you not see that as giving up sovereignty? Does it not matter to you that Putin’s customs union would force Armenia to double customs fees on all foreign goods (except for Russian and Kazakh bullshit??) when people will have no more money left over after overpaying for daily comodities, what then? I suppose when you’re a Diaspora Internet Warrior, the effects on the real living breathing Armenia don’t matter to you..get your head out of your arse.
I don’t like that Armenia is making deals with Putin, either. I agree with you.
But, I don’t want Armenia to join EU, either. EU is bad news. Don’t you see what happens when countries join EU? Hungary is regreting joining EU. You say “free trade” and I read “managed trade that profits few and hurts most Armenians living in Armenia.” Joining EU would mean transfer of wealth from poor Armenians to the rich…loss of liberties…more wars and Armenian soldiers dead or injured…less opportunity…more poverty. I want Armenia to be independent and peaceful, kind of like Switzerland. The only way for Armenia to develop and for its people to have better lives is thru real capitalism, which would decrease poverty, increase jobs, and overall make for happier people with opportunities and freedom.
To the hell with the EU!
And hell to Russian terrorist
Honorable EU countries, first they should force Turkey to open the border with Armenia, without precondition, then invest in Armenian market for a free trade businesses, otherwise they are the same cowards, where they left our defenseless Armenian population in the hands of criminal Turks to wipe more than half of Armenian population of the world…I wonder what is EU real intention, forcing Armenia to sign a free trade agreement??
Since 1850, Russia (which realistically, since considering the geographic distance between Armenia and the great powers, was the only power which could have assisted the Armenians) has consistantly failed to support the Armenians at every single time..there is not 1 engagement where Russia protected Armenia in fact, Russia supported Azerbaijan in the Karabakh war until 1993..and Russia sells weapons to the Turks and Azeris, yet you still love the Russians so much??? and as an Armenian, have you no pride?? why do you insist that it is the responsability of US, or Britain or even Russia to protect us? No one protects us but ourselves…so why is joining free-trade deals with the EU so bad? do you even know what this was about? or you saw EU in the title and ran right to the comments section..go read about the DCFTA please
Armenia is losing confidence in Europe
Imagine that a few years preparing documents with the EU, that, in turn, spends some funds for the construction of customs checkpoints on the Armenian border, and today, these items will be used by the Customs Union. Or prepared legislation because of changes in the overnight position should be reconsidered. All this shows that Armenia – unpredictable and so is the state of its foreign policy. Act in both directions is not possible.