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Yerevan Keen To ‘Combine’ Eurasian, European Integrations


Armenia - President Serzh Sarkisian speaks at a session of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly in Yerevan, 17Mar2015.
Armenia - President Serzh Sarkisian speaks at a session of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly in Yerevan, 17Mar2015.

Armenia remains committed to forging closer links with the European Union despite joining a Russian-led alliance of ex-Soviet states earlier this year, President Serzh Sarkisian reiterated on Tuesday.

Sarkisian spoke of a continuing “dynamic development” of EU-Armenia relations as he addressed a session in Yerevan of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly of lawmakers from the EU member states and ex-Soviet republics involved in the Eastern Partnership program.

“We act on the premise that it is possible to combine Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), along with all obligations stemming from that, with a deep and extensive [common] agenda with the European Union,” he said. “Furthermore, we will try to find points of convergence and foster cooperation and dialogue through forging close ties with various integration processes.”

Sarkisian specified that Armenia is seeking closer partnership with the EU in the areas of democracy, human rights, judicial independence, fight against corruption and economic reforms that would improve the country’s flawed business environment. He said Yerevan also expects to embark soon on a “dialogue” with the EU on the eventual abolition of the 28-nation union’s visa requirements for Armenian nationals.

The EU has already eased those requirements as part of the Eastern Partnership. The program was due to lead to a wide-ranging Association Agreement between the EU and Armenia. Sarkisian precluded the signing of the agreement, including a free-trade component, when he decided in 2013 to make his country part of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).

The Armenian government has since been trying to negotiate a less far-reaching deal with the EU that would not contradict its membership commitments to the Russian-led bloc. Sarkisian did not mention it in his speech delivered after a separate meeting with the Euronest leadership.

According to Sarkisian’s office, the senior European parliamentarians asked the Armenian leader, among other things, to elaborate on the “factors” behind his decision to join the EEU. The office did not disclose his explanations.

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