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GEORGIAN STATE MINISTER FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION MEETS ARMENIAN FM
Civil Georgia, Georgia
Sept 13 2013
Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 13 Sep.'13 / 15:01
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Georgian State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration,
Alexi Petriashvili, who is in Yerevan for a third Informal Eastern
Partnership Dialogue, met Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
on September 12.
"The [Armenian Foreign] Minister spoke about the Armenian leadership's
willingness to join the [Russian-led] Customs Union and he reviewed the
processes related to this issue," Petriashvili said after the meeting.
"I want to note, that Armenia's willingness to join the Customs
Union and the fact that Georgia will be the part of the deep and
comprehensive free trade area [DCFTA] in frames of the Association
Agreement with the EU, cannot impede bilateral relations between
Armenia and Georgia," he added.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a press release that upcoming
Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius was discussed, as well as
bilateral relations.
"Both sides expressed their satisfaction and underlined that relations
between Armenia and Georgia today are on high level in political,
economic and humanitarian areas. The common willingness to continue
efforts for expanding and deepening beneficial cooperation was
reaffirmed," the Armenian Foreign Ministry said.
Yerevan hosts on September 13 the third Informal Eastern Partnership
Dialogue. Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood
Policy Štefan Fule also participates in the meeting, which brings
together ministers and senior officials from the Eastern Partnership
countries - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
Speaking before the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week, Fule
said Customs Union membership "is not compatible" with EU's deep and
comprehensive free trade area because of "legal impossibilities".
"It may certainly be possible for members of the Eastern Partnership
to increase their cooperation with the Customs Union, perhaps
as observers; and participation in a DCFTA is of course fully
compatible with our partners' existing free trade agreements with
other Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) states," he said.
He also said that development of the Russian-initiated Eurasian
Economic Union project "must respect our partners' sovereign
decisions."
He said that any threats and pressure exercised by Russia on the
Eastern Partnership countries "are unacceptable".
"This applies to all forms of pressure, including: the possible misuse
of energy pricing; artificial trade obstacles such as import bans of
dubious WTO compatibility and cumbersome customs procedures; military
cooperation and security guarantees; and the instrumentalisation of
protracted conflicts," he said.
http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=26449
From: A. Papazian
Civil Georgia, Georgia
Sept 13 2013
Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 13 Sep.'13 / 15:01
Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on favorites More Sharing
Services Share on email
Georgian State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration,
Alexi Petriashvili, who is in Yerevan for a third Informal Eastern
Partnership Dialogue, met Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
on September 12.
"The [Armenian Foreign] Minister spoke about the Armenian leadership's
willingness to join the [Russian-led] Customs Union and he reviewed the
processes related to this issue," Petriashvili said after the meeting.
"I want to note, that Armenia's willingness to join the Customs
Union and the fact that Georgia will be the part of the deep and
comprehensive free trade area [DCFTA] in frames of the Association
Agreement with the EU, cannot impede bilateral relations between
Armenia and Georgia," he added.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a press release that upcoming
Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius was discussed, as well as
bilateral relations.
"Both sides expressed their satisfaction and underlined that relations
between Armenia and Georgia today are on high level in political,
economic and humanitarian areas. The common willingness to continue
efforts for expanding and deepening beneficial cooperation was
reaffirmed," the Armenian Foreign Ministry said.
Yerevan hosts on September 13 the third Informal Eastern Partnership
Dialogue. Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood
Policy Štefan Fule also participates in the meeting, which brings
together ministers and senior officials from the Eastern Partnership
countries - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
Speaking before the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week, Fule
said Customs Union membership "is not compatible" with EU's deep and
comprehensive free trade area because of "legal impossibilities".
"It may certainly be possible for members of the Eastern Partnership
to increase their cooperation with the Customs Union, perhaps
as observers; and participation in a DCFTA is of course fully
compatible with our partners' existing free trade agreements with
other Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) states," he said.
He also said that development of the Russian-initiated Eurasian
Economic Union project "must respect our partners' sovereign
decisions."
He said that any threats and pressure exercised by Russia on the
Eastern Partnership countries "are unacceptable".
"This applies to all forms of pressure, including: the possible misuse
of energy pricing; artificial trade obstacles such as import bans of
dubious WTO compatibility and cumbersome customs procedures; military
cooperation and security guarantees; and the instrumentalisation of
protracted conflicts," he said.
http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=26449
From: A. Papazian