Beginning in the previous issue
The former Chairman of the NA Foreign Relations Committee Hovhannes Igityan is in doubt, he did not notice pressure on Serzh Sargsyan by the RF, but he did not notice also Serzh Sargsyan’s enthusiasm and good will, when signing or stating about joining the Customs Union.
– Once you said that, to some extent, you are familiar with the EU Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, would you talk a little more about it, what confidential episodes are there in these agreements, about which concerns are voiced in Armenia. Why don’t the agreements become public?
– Honestly, I don’t see anything in secret. A large section in the Agreements is devoted to the quality standards of Armenian products of today’s and future production, which must comply with the European standards. I do not think it will be a big problem for our producers because we have the experience, as the Armenian product has already entered the European market and has passed the said standardization. Also, it’s not going to be drastic until 2017, and in 2014-15 the European structures will help Armenia to qualify the products in a right way. In short, these are technical issues.
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As for the agreements remaining confidential, I do not know whose decision it was, but I think more of the Armenian authorities. For example, in Ukraine, the Association composed of 350 pages was published, and as it was in Ukrainian language, I think the Ukrainian authorities did it. Perhaps, the EU has left the right to publish the documents to the authorities.
– And what is there in the agreements that the Armenian authorities are hiding, if they are only positive things to our country?
– Maybe, this is what it is hiding.
Let RPA high-rank officials standing next to Serzh Sargsyan do not get offended, but in my opinion, they do not totally understand what Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area Agreement means. I see it from in their statements. It is not that they do not know, but probably do not allow them to get the details. It is not that they do not understand, probably, they are not allowed to get into the details. And the thing that the statement about Armenia’s joining the Customs Union was also a surprise for them, it evidences that Serzh Sargsyan does not share any serious documents or intentions with them.
Unfortunately, our officials and political figures, who introduce the Customs Union and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area and Association Agreement, leave the impression that the matter is about where we should sell our brandy or preserves, to Russia, or the Europe.
They even get surprised that we are trying to politicize it, or they try to show that our preserves, meat products, like basturma and sujukh, would be difficult to sell in Europe, consequently, it would be better to sell in Russia. In the case of the Customs Union, yes, that matter is just about it, and Armenia have already had the right of it. Armenia already had a commercial agreement with the Russia. And in the case of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, Armenia is not only entitled to export its products to EU countries, but to organize production locally. It would not be an export, but product of Europe. We could bring any investor, industrialist, who are closing their factories in Italy, Spain and other EU countries because of social pressure, and not a profitable business, to Armenia by presenting the situation. The matter is that computers, cell phones, other high-tech products, as well as textile manufacturing, glass, ceramics could be produced in Armenia, and these goods would be such as the European. In addition to their impact on GDP, they would also resolve the problem of employment.
– The political scientists assume that probably the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh was put before the President Sargsyan in Moscow. Do you consider such an option as likely?
– I do not want to get into that field as to what could happen on that or previous night. If there is such an issue, let it be presented. The political figure is strong with its openness. If there is such or other pressure, let them present it. We do also understand, the issue of Karabakh is as close or important as for Serge.
If there was a danger, was it neutralized with this step? Does he believe that it was neutralized? If, indeed, there is such a problem, it must be considered collectively. Regardless of how he has been elected, and who considers him what, with respect to Nagorno-Karabakh issue, we can unite and resolve this problem together. But I have not noticed any pressure by Russian. RF did not give the weapon to Azerbaijan under pressure, but even if it was done under threat, anyway, we should have thought as to take up the threat or not. I am in doubt as I have not noticed any pressure on Serzh Sargsyan by RF, but I have not either seen Serzh Sargsyan’s enthusiasm and good will, when he was signing or announcing about the Customs Union membership. Serzh Sargsyan team that was always treating any move of Serzh Sargsyan with toadyism, appeared in a shock, and no one welcomed his such move, everyone is trying to rationalize Serzh Sargsyan in their interpretations. But if Serge is the kind of person to be subjected to pressure, the society and the political forces should exert pressure on him, he might yield and change his opinion again.
Nelly Grigoryan
