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European Union Or Eurasian Union: Armenia's Ex-Premier Speaks Of Arm

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  • European Union Or Eurasian Union: Armenia's Ex-Premier Speaks Of Arm

    EUROPEAN UNION OR EURASIAN UNION: ARMENIA'S EX-PREMIER SPEAKS OF ARMENIA'S PROSPECTS

    http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/07/30/hrant-bagratyan-interview/
    16:20 30.07.13

    On July 24, Armenia and the European Union (EU) successfully completed
    the negotiations over a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area
    Agreement (DCFTA), which is integral part of an Association Agreement.

    What may be the result of deepening Armenia-EU ties and will Armenia
    prefer joining the EU or the nascent Eurasian Union? Tert.am talked to
    Armenia's ex-premier, an Armenian National Congress (ANC) parliamentary
    group member Hrant Bagratyan.

    - Mr Bagratyan, has not Armenia made one more step toward the EU?

    - No, it is not so. Nothing has so far been talked about the
    EU. The EU seeks to sign free trade agreements with all the countries,
    which are more or less acceptable economic systems.

    - What is your attitude to the fact that the Association
    Agreement is not being published and the public is hardly fully
    informed of what it is?

    - I am against that. I participated in the negotiations within
    Euronest and I think that such a document must be put to a referendum.

    - The European Union or the nascent Eurasian Union - which of
    them should Armenia join?

    - During the presidential election I introduced a concept - not
    only an economic, but also a foreign policy one. The idea was putting
    such significant issues to a referendum rather than being governed by
    an individual's opinion. My personal opinion is that I would consider
    treacherous some people's statements that Armenia should sever ties
    with Russia or secede from the Commonwealth of Independent States
    (CIS). On the other hand, I do not see any acceptable conditions in
    the context of the Eurasian Union. Such a union does not exist. We do
    not know if it is good or bad. So we should not speak of preferring
    between the EU and the Eurasian Union.

    We are a sovereign state and have the right to conclude a free trade
    agreement with European countries, which does not interfere with our
    relations with Russia.

    - So you are disposed to the "both...and" option.

    - There will not be a "both...and" option. One day it will
    deepen and they will run counter to each other and we must realize
    it. At present, we have not reached the point of "both...and" or
    "either...or".

    In any case, the norms I read in Brussels late this May did not
    interfere with anything.

    - Should Armenia-EU relations deepen, won't Russia resort
    to pressure?

    - I do not think so. Russia is changing as well and has decided
    to integrate with Europe as soon as possible. We should take a broader
    view of the problems - how the processes develop in Armenia-EU and
    Russia-EU relations.

    Armenian News - Tert.am



    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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