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EP COMMITTEE CHAIR IN VILNIUS CALLS RUSSIA'S ACTIONS AGAINST ARMENIA "BLACKMAIL"
Baltic News Service / - BNS
September 5, 2013 Thursday 11:00 AM EET
VILNIUS, Sep 05, BNS - Elmar Brok, chairman of the European
Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, on Thursday called Russia's
pressure on Armenia to join the Customs Union "blackmail."
"What Russia has done in recent weeks in terms of trade measures was
pure blackmail against Armenia, and that runs counter to international
requirements," Brok told the Inter-Parliamentary Conference for the
Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defense
Policy at the Lithuanian Seimas on Thursday.
Following a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier
this week, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan announced the country's
decision to join the Customs Union. It had been hoped that an
association and free trade agreement between Armenia and the EU would
be initialed at the upcoming Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius
in late November.
Talking about the Eastern Partnership countries, the EP committee
chairman underlined that Eastern Partnership countries should make
up their minds on their future themselves and not under external
influence.
"Every country should make individual decisions. These are not
decisions that should be made in Moscow or Brussels. These are
individual decisions that should be made by, let's say, Kiev. These
are independent countries that need to make their own decisions as
Lithuania did when fighting for its independence," Brok said.
In his speech, the German politician also stressed the need to
ensure that an association agreement with Ukraine is signed during
the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius. "I hope that the Eastern
Partnership Summit will be historically significant for the whole of
Europe. (...) The doors are open to Eastern Partnership countries.
They just need to meet certain conditions," Brok said.
Russia has taken measures in recent weeks against Eastern Partnership
countries seeking closer ties with the European Union. Russian
officials have warned Ukraine recently about potential import
restrictions, if Ukraine signs the association agreement with the
EU and does not join the Russian-led Customs Union instead. Moscow
has also pledged cheaper gas to Ukraine, if the latter chooses the
Customs Union over closer ties with the EU.
Russian officials have also warned Moldova that its closer ties with
the EU would hamper the resolution of the Transnistrian problem and
also mentioned potential wine imports restrictions.
From: Baghdasarian
Baltic News Service / - BNS
September 5, 2013 Thursday 11:00 AM EET
VILNIUS, Sep 05, BNS - Elmar Brok, chairman of the European
Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, on Thursday called Russia's
pressure on Armenia to join the Customs Union "blackmail."
"What Russia has done in recent weeks in terms of trade measures was
pure blackmail against Armenia, and that runs counter to international
requirements," Brok told the Inter-Parliamentary Conference for the
Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defense
Policy at the Lithuanian Seimas on Thursday.
Following a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier
this week, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan announced the country's
decision to join the Customs Union. It had been hoped that an
association and free trade agreement between Armenia and the EU would
be initialed at the upcoming Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius
in late November.
Talking about the Eastern Partnership countries, the EP committee
chairman underlined that Eastern Partnership countries should make
up their minds on their future themselves and not under external
influence.
"Every country should make individual decisions. These are not
decisions that should be made in Moscow or Brussels. These are
individual decisions that should be made by, let's say, Kiev. These
are independent countries that need to make their own decisions as
Lithuania did when fighting for its independence," Brok said.
In his speech, the German politician also stressed the need to
ensure that an association agreement with Ukraine is signed during
the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius. "I hope that the Eastern
Partnership Summit will be historically significant for the whole of
Europe. (...) The doors are open to Eastern Partnership countries.
They just need to meet certain conditions," Brok said.
Russia has taken measures in recent weeks against Eastern Partnership
countries seeking closer ties with the European Union. Russian
officials have warned Ukraine recently about potential import
restrictions, if Ukraine signs the association agreement with the
EU and does not join the Russian-led Customs Union instead. Moscow
has also pledged cheaper gas to Ukraine, if the latter chooses the
Customs Union over closer ties with the EU.
Russian officials have also warned Moldova that its closer ties with
the EU would hamper the resolution of the Transnistrian problem and
also mentioned potential wine imports restrictions.
From: Baghdasarian