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COMMISSIONER STEFAN FULE'S SPOKESPERSON: "NO ONE WILL KEEP ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT TEXT SECRET"
http://hetq.am/eng/news/28740/commissioner-%C5%A1tefan-f%C3%BCle%E2%80%99s-spokesperson-%E2%80%9Cno-one-will-keep-association-agreement-text-secret%E2%80%9D.html
14:19, August 16, 2013
Two days ago Hetq published an articleregarding the publication of
the text of the upcoming EU-Armenia Association Agreement.
Hetq had written to the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggesting
that it was in the public interest that the text of the agreement be
made known before any official signing by Armenia.
The Ministry's response was that the publication of any international
treaty must follow legal procedure, giving the impression that the
agreement had been finalized but that the Ministry had no plans o
reveal it.
Hetq then wrote to Štefan Fule , European Commissioner for Enlargement
and European Neighbourhood Policy, with the same request.
In response, we received the following note from Peter Stano,
Commissioner Fule's spokesperson:
"Thank you for your interest. Please note that we did not even publish
the text of Association Agreement with Ukraine yet, although that
one is in much more advanced stage than the AA with Armenia. When
the negotiations on the text are concluded, the text is undergoing
legal proofreading in order to clear it for translation, initialling
and eventually signature. So in other words there are procedures to
follow as your Ministry has explained and we will publish the text at
an appropriate time when the necessary procedures are being completed
so that we introduce to the public the very final text. This is what
we do with every international treaty. Let me assure you that it is
in our interest that the citizens know about this Agreement and no
one will keep the text secret."
So, it appears that the two sides are putting the "final touches"
on the agreement and that it will indeed be made public before any
signing.
Hopefully, it will be made available early enough for citizens of
Armenia to read through and comprehend.
Rest assured that such a document will be voluminous and tedious going.
http://hetq.am/eng/news/28740/commissioner-%C5%A1tefan-f%C3%BCle%E2%80%99s-spokesperson-%E2%80%9Cno-one-will-keep-association-agreement-text-secret%E2%80%9D.html
14:19, August 16, 2013
Two days ago Hetq published an articleregarding the publication of
the text of the upcoming EU-Armenia Association Agreement.
Hetq had written to the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggesting
that it was in the public interest that the text of the agreement be
made known before any official signing by Armenia.
The Ministry's response was that the publication of any international
treaty must follow legal procedure, giving the impression that the
agreement had been finalized but that the Ministry had no plans o
reveal it.
Hetq then wrote to Štefan Fule , European Commissioner for Enlargement
and European Neighbourhood Policy, with the same request.
In response, we received the following note from Peter Stano,
Commissioner Fule's spokesperson:
"Thank you for your interest. Please note that we did not even publish
the text of Association Agreement with Ukraine yet, although that
one is in much more advanced stage than the AA with Armenia. When
the negotiations on the text are concluded, the text is undergoing
legal proofreading in order to clear it for translation, initialling
and eventually signature. So in other words there are procedures to
follow as your Ministry has explained and we will publish the text at
an appropriate time when the necessary procedures are being completed
so that we introduce to the public the very final text. This is what
we do with every international treaty. Let me assure you that it is
in our interest that the citizens know about this Agreement and no
one will keep the text secret."
So, it appears that the two sides are putting the "final touches"
on the agreement and that it will indeed be made public before any
signing.
Hopefully, it will be made available early enough for citizens of
Armenia to read through and comprehend.
Rest assured that such a document will be voluminous and tedious going.