“For a long time, there was a stereotype of relations with the EU, as if the EU, sorry for my wording, is a cash dispenser, a financial donor. Of course, the EU is attractive as a financial supporter, but the model of our partnership with the latter should be of political importance”, said Armen Ashotyan, Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, at the meeting with the members of Armenian National Platform of the “Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum”, touching upon the signing of a new framework agreement between Armenia and the EU scheduled for November.
According to him, “We expect not only money from the EU, but also political support in a number of issues: from the Armenian-Turkish relations to the regional stability and the Artsakh issue”.
The MP referred to the following question: and what if Russia does not allow Armenia to sign an agreement with the EU as in November 2013? “The question is artificial: whether Russia will allow or not. There is no such question. Neither the European Parliament has seen the final document yet, nor the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia. Armenia has never worked with Russia at EU’s expense, nor has worked with the EU at the expense of Russia”, assured Armen Ashotyan.
Luiza SUKIASYAN
