Speaking about Armenia’s participation in the forthcoming EU Eastern Partnership Summit on May 21-22 in Riga, various European officials expressed expectations that the president of Armenia will attend the summit. Anyway, Armenian President’s attendance will be viewed as a position in the Armenia-EU relations. Official Yerevan is not in a hurry to make statements about the President’s attendance at the summit. In the conversation with “Aravot”, responding to the question of whether the President’s participation in this event it correct, member of the Foreign Relations Committee, also Republican MP Shirak Torosyan said that it is up to the President as the latter is the decision-maker and the bearer of the country’s foreign policy. The RPA MP believes that Serzh Sargsyan’s participation in the Riga summit will be on a condition if Armenia decides on continuing deepening its relations with the EU.
And since the official Yerevan has repeatedly stated about its readiness, then the President’s participation in Riga will happen in case of signing a document on the EU-Armenia relations. “We need to approach with understanding that Armenia will join the political component leaving the economic component out as it is inconsistent, given that Armenia is located in a different economic system and cannot sign a free and comprehensive agreement. Certainly, this is up to the Government of Armenia and the people, whatever decision is made, we will welcome and encourage it,” announced the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland to Armenia Jerzy Novakovski, yesterday.
In response to our question of whether it is possible that a political agreement of the EU-Armenia partnership will be signed in Riga, the government officials said that Armenia was not against the signing of the political components of the Association Agreement still the previous the Vilnius summit, where our country refused signing the EU Association and Deep and Free Comprehensive Trade agreements. “Simply, during that time, Europe adopted a kind of aggressive posture by putting forward the format of either-or,” said Shirak Torosyan, adding that the new round of the Armenia-EU relations will eventually lead to the signing of the political components of the Association Agreement. After the Vilnius Summit, both the Armenian and European officials declare about the regular talks on the new documents. Our interlocutor, ex officio, was not aware of what specific items are covered by the discussions. He only assumes that a review of talks reached earlier is underway.
