Armenia must implement CEPA completely, retired diplomat says
28.12.2017,
15:03
It is important that the official Yerevan implement fully the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) it signed with the European Union on November 24, a retired Armenian diplomat Arman Navasardyan said on Thursday.
YEREVAN, December 28. /ARKA/. It is important that the official Yerevan implement fully the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) it signed with the European Union on November 24, a retired Armenian diplomat Arman Navasardyan said on Thursday.
Armenian authorities expect the CEPA to diversify the country’s integration vectors in economic, political, cultural and other spheres and make its economic and political systems more flexible.
"The signing of the agreement with the EU is one of the most important events of 2017 for Armenia, but it is important that the Armenian side implement it completely. Otherwise it will lose its meaning and remain only on paper," Navasardyan said.
The diplomat noted that even though the agreement is bilateral, the bulk of the work is to be done by the Armenian side.
"If we appear after all unable to resolve our domestic problems and work hard, then no one, including the European Union, will help us in any way," Navasardyan said.
The Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement was initialed on March 21, 2017, by Armenia and the European Union. The agreement will enter into force after all 28 EU member states and Armenia ratify it.
Armenia and the EU were supposed to sign the Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) at a 2013 November Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius but on September 3 Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan announced that the country was going to become part of the Russian-led Customs Union.
On December 7, 2015 Armenia and the EU launched talks on a new framework agreement after EU Foreign Affairs Council authorized earlier the European Commission and the High Representative to open negotiations on a new legal basis for relations with Armenia. -0--0-
Armenian authorities expect the CEPA to diversify the country’s integration vectors in economic, political, cultural and other spheres and make its economic and political systems more flexible.
"The signing of the agreement with the EU is one of the most important events of 2017 for Armenia, but it is important that the Armenian side implement it completely. Otherwise it will lose its meaning and remain only on paper," Navasardyan said.
The diplomat noted that even though the agreement is bilateral, the bulk of the work is to be done by the Armenian side.
"If we appear after all unable to resolve our domestic problems and work hard, then no one, including the European Union, will help us in any way," Navasardyan said.
The Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement was initialed on March 21, 2017, by Armenia and the European Union. The agreement will enter into force after all 28 EU member states and Armenia ratify it.
Armenia and the EU were supposed to sign the Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) at a 2013 November Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius but on September 3 Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan announced that the country was going to become part of the Russian-led Customs Union.
On December 7, 2015 Armenia and the EU launched talks on a new framework agreement after EU Foreign Affairs Council authorized earlier the European Commission and the High Representative to open negotiations on a new legal basis for relations with Armenia. -0--0-
