Armenia’s upcoming agreement with EU does not run counter to its interaction with Russia, deputy minister
26.10.2015,
16:07
A new partnership agreement Armenia is going to sign with the European Union to replace the existing agreement regulating their relations, will not contradict Yerevan's interaction with Moscow, a deputy Russian foreign minister Vasily Nebenzia was quoted as saying by Russian RIA Novosti news agency.
YEREVAN, October 26. / ARKA /. A new partnership agreement Armenia is going to sign with the European Union to replace the existing agreement regulating their relations, will not contradict Yerevan's interaction with Moscow, a deputy Russian foreign minister Vasily Nebenzia was quoted as saying by Russian RIA Novosti news agency.
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 Armenia’s president Serzh Sargsyan announced that the country was going to become part of the Russian-led Customs Union.
This past October 12 the EU Foreign Affairs Council authorized the European Commission and the High Representative to open negotiations on a new legal basis for relations with Armenia. The official launch of the negotiations is expected before the end of the year.
"I think that the agreement between Armenia and EU will not be contrary to Yerevan’s cooperation with the Russian Federation. Russia used to develop its relations with the EU before it decided to cease them. Some of our partners in the Eurasian Economic Union have cooperation agreements with the EU. We welcome such agreements," he said on the sidelines of a MGIMO graduates gathering in Armenia.
He, however, added that Armenia’s relations with the EU must not run counter to its obligations to the Eurasian Economic Union.
"Our partners, including in Armenia are well aware of this,. Secondly, we want to develop relations with the EU, not only in bilateral format, but also in the format of the Eurasian Economic Union. The chairman of the Eurasian Economic Commission Board Viktor Khristenko handed lately to the European Commission our proposals about how we can do that. Today, these proposals are under consideration in Brussels," he said .-- 0--
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 Armenia’s president Serzh Sargsyan announced that the country was going to become part of the Russian-led Customs Union.
This past October 12 the EU Foreign Affairs Council authorized the European Commission and the High Representative to open negotiations on a new legal basis for relations with Armenia. The official launch of the negotiations is expected before the end of the year.
"I think that the agreement between Armenia and EU will not be contrary to Yerevan’s cooperation with the Russian Federation. Russia used to develop its relations with the EU before it decided to cease them. Some of our partners in the Eurasian Economic Union have cooperation agreements with the EU. We welcome such agreements," he said on the sidelines of a MGIMO graduates gathering in Armenia.
He, however, added that Armenia’s relations with the EU must not run counter to its obligations to the Eurasian Economic Union.
"Our partners, including in Armenia are well aware of this,. Secondly, we want to develop relations with the EU, not only in bilateral format, but also in the format of the Eurasian Economic Union. The chairman of the Eurasian Economic Commission Board Viktor Khristenko handed lately to the European Commission our proposals about how we can do that. Today, these proposals are under consideration in Brussels," he said .-- 0--
