The last specks of Armenia’s self-determination should not be “neutralized”
The European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Füle’s tenure will end this year in October. One of the main objectives of his activities, the adoption of EU Association Agreements with the countries of the former Soviet Union, can be regarded as his personal failure, in the sense that the process failed to be smooth, without shocks. In the exclusive interview of “Radio Liberty” in the Prague headquarters, Füle stated that the European Union has not taken Russian President Vladimir Putin’s words serious that the collapse of the Soviet Union was the greatest catastrophe in the 20th century. Still in 2008, at the Bucharest Russia-NATO summit, Putin has said that Ukraine is an artificial country. “Some people in the rooms laughed, the other part did not understand, but now we understand better and we’re not laughing anymore,” said EU Commissioner for Enlargement and emphasized that the annexation of Crimea and supporting the armed separatists in eastern Ukraine prove that Putin is openly ignoring the international right.
In response to the question whether the European Union is preparing a new agreement that will enable Armenia to maintain close relations with Brussels, Füle said, “The Eastern Partnership policy does not force our partners to make a choice between Moscow and Brussels. I would also like to mention that if one of our partners makes such a choice, we always treat it with respect. As for Armenia, we had clearly stated that we will built our future partnership relying on all positive results that we have accumulated during the 3.5 years of negotiations.”
The EU, of course, will continue the integration efforts in the Eastern Partnership countries. The EU’s potential partners will continue implementing reforms in their countries. As to Armenia, although the official Yerevan after the decision made on September 3 to join the Customs Union has repeatedly stated that it is willing to regulate the relations with the EU with the establishment of a new legal basis, however, it is not clear how this idea can be brought to life. Moreover, the European diplomats have repeatedly emphasized that the political component of the Association Agreement cannot be separated from the overall package and signed separately.
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What can Armenia do in this situation? Or, in general, can the authorities of Armenia build a new level of the EU relationship in the event when the influence of Putin’s Russia is becoming day by day more noticeable, and the Kremlin’s instructions – more openly and unconstrained?
For example, the Russian Ambassador to Armenia Ivan Volinkin, in the interview to the Armenian “Noyev Kovcheg” (Noah’s Ark) Moscow-based newspaper has made a very remarkable “revelations”, “I am sure that Russia should be more active in demonstrating its presence in Armenia’s mass media environment. There is no doubt about it. However, perhaps, we should also deal with other methods towards neutralization of the NGOs that are operating in Armenia and seeking to drive a wedge in the relationships between Armenia and Russia. For instances, Russia has adopted a law that clearly regulates the NGOs activities. Ultimately, it is obvious that those acting against Armenian-Russian friendship do not want well to Russia or Armenia.”
Armenia’s relations with Russia are of strategic importance, no one can dispute this, but these relations should be built on the principle of partnership relationship, regardless of gradual increase of Russia’s impact on Armenia’s 20-year independence. Even the small Armenia cannot afford a luxury making Armenia’s social-political life a hostage of the Kremlin’s instructions. Armenia’s authorities endless statements on establishing a new legal basis for regulating the relations with the EU should first and foremost think of this very direction. The authorities of Armenia should somehow respond to the instructions of “neutralizing” the last specks of Armenia’s self-determination, because the attempts for “neutralization” are already becoming chronic.
EMMA GABRIELYAN
