Armenia intends to deepen its cooperation with EU as far as it doesn’t contradict its membership in Customs Union

YEREVAN, September 10. /ARKA/. Armenia intends to continue its relations with the European Union and deepen the cooperation that doesn’t contradict its membership in the Customs Union, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan told journalists today. 

Armenian and Russian presidents, Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir Putin, made a joint statement one week ago after they met in Moscow. It has become known from the statement that Armenia has decided to join the Customs Union and its intention to take part in formation of Eurasian Economic Union in the future.  

The announcement came as Armenia was poised to sign the Association Agreement with the European Union.  

Nalbandyan said that in the report released after he met with Stefan Fule, the EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy, on September 5, Yerevan expressed willingness to continue close cooperation with the European Union in all possible directions and to develop relations based on the achievements reached for several years as much as possible and as far as it doesn’t contradict Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union.     

Asked about prospects for further cooperation between Armenia and the European Union, the Armenian foreign minister reminded journalists the opinion of his Lithuanian counterpart, Linas Linkevichius, whose country is chairing the European Union now, and quoted his as saying that Yerevan should maintain its ties with the EU.   

Nalbandyan also finds the opposition’s objection to Armenia’s membership in the EU groundless. Responding to blames coming from opposition activists that there were no comprehensive answers to the questions about Armenia’s authorities’ decision, he said: “I have answered all the questions that have been asked, and if somebody doesn’t understand these answers or doesn’t accept them since his opinion is different, then this is his personal problem.” ---0----