A part of the society of Armenia has serious expectations with regard to Vilnius summit on November, cherishing a hope that the Association Agreement with the EU will be eventually signed, which was talked about from the highest levels for four years continuously. These hopes seem to be revealed after September 3, when the President of Armenia announced that Armenia is ready to join the Customs Union, a completely different system. This was followed by the Europe “either-or” and the Armenian “and-and” theories. Europeans were saying that we should clarify what we want, the CU or the EU, and our officials claim that we can combine. Last week, too, even after the fact when Armenia’s orientation to CU was deepened at the meeting of CIS heads in Minsk, several high-ranking officials insisted that nevertheless something to be signed in Vilnius.
We commenced our conversation with the Country Director of “Eurasia Partnership Foundation” Gevorg Ter-Gabrielyan with this very issue. – What do you think, what kind of document will be signed in Vilnius? – In politics, it is very important to have some timber-work, a methodological approach to have the right approach to the questions. Forecasting is not a problem of political science. Especially, when the general expectation that Armenia devoting so many years to rapprochement with Europe, will not divert from the course, was not justified. Any beautiful document can be signed in Vilnius to show that Armenia and the EU are good, and in normal relations, that Armenia has not yet come out of the Eastern Partnership. A very specific document can also be signed regarding bringing the process of visas to success, or a partnership in a priority area, such as science. Nothing can also be signed. Diplomacy enables making any move. I do not have any internal information about expectations in Vilnius. I can only say what will happen after Vilnius so that Armenia will not entirely lose this historic moment. After Vilnius, Armenia will have few months that Armenia, despite giving up with the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, will develop a profitable strategy with the EU regarding the future. – In your speech you used the expression “divert from the course”. What do you think do we have a way back from that diverted path? – If by saying a way back you mean the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area Agreement and the EU Association Agreement adjacent to it, integration of the documents with the EU, seems, passed into the history, like the Armenian-Turkish protocols. If, on the other hand, the matter is about the chances of Armenia in integration with the EU, all the directions are open, historically open, and even more. I have no doubts that if Armenia wants, some time later it may be a candidate to the European Union membership. In other words, returning is impossible, but progress is possible. Armenia is viewed by Europe as a full European culture. If not us, then who? It’s another matter that the fate of the country is hard, it was not fortunate, it has certain nomenclature and neighbors, but all of these is passable, but the cultural unity is indisputable and historically durable.
Melania BARSEGHYAN
