Deputy Minister of Economy does not specify final date of Armenia-EU new framework agreement

ArmInfo. Negotiations around new framework agreement between Armenia and EU continue, Deputy Minister of Economy Garegin Melkonyan told journalists on July 26.

He said various meetings and videoconferences were held within the year on the issues related to trade and investments. Two rounds of talks are planned until the end of the year, the deputy minister said adding that the sides have no disputable issues that might impede the talks. He said the Armenian side has not familiarized yet with all the provisions of the agreement concerning the trade and investment cooperation.

Garegin Melkonyan said the agreement specific and every provision is discussed reckoning with possible correlations of the new opportunities for Armenia and the country' commitments to other international platforms. It is necessary to ensure that all the provisions and commitments included in the text of the new framework agreement can be implemented and applied in practice, Melkonyan said.

As for the final date of signing the agreement, the deputy minister said he is not for setting any final date, since negotiations is a process connected with coordination of positions.  He did not say if the provisions of the agreements and the negotiations with the EU are coordinated with the Eurasian Economic Union countries.

To recall, on October 12, 2015, in Luxembourg, the Council of the European Union authorized the European Commission and the High Representative to open negotiations on a new, legally binding and overarching agreement with Armenia, and adopted the corresponding negotiating mandate. This agreement will replace the current EU- Armenia partnership and cooperation agreement. The EU is committed to further developing and strengthening comprehensive cooperation with Armenia in all areas of mutual interest within the Eastern Partnership framework.

On December 7, 2015, at the EU Headquarters in Brussels, Edward Nalbandian, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, and Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, announced the launch of negotiations on a new Armenia-European Union framework agreement.  The first round of the talks took place in January 2016. The second round was held in Brussels on Feb 17.

Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan and Head of EU Delegation to Armenia Peter Switalski discussed Armenia-EU cooperation at the meeting on January 13.  The Head of the EU delegation in Armenia, Ambassador Peter Switalski also expressed hope that in 2016, the Armenia-EU bilateral relations will acquire a new quality and before the end of the year, negotiations on the new comprehensive Armenia-European Union legal document will have been concluded.  Ambassador Switalski reaffirmed EU's readiness in assisting Armenia in the implementation of the reforms.