ArmInfo. Russia is interested in concluding a new Armenia-EU framework agreement. The head of the Center for Innovative and Institutional Research at the YSU, Atom Margaryan, stated at a meeting with journalists on November 13.
According to the expert, Armenia is a sovereign state and does not have the task to receive Russia's "welcome" in the issue of signing a new framework agreement with the EU, especially since initiating the process, Europe is going to mitigate the early - strict position against the RA. Nevertheless, as the head of the Center stated confidently, Armenia, of course, consulted with all the partner countries of the EAEU on this issue, having agreed all the points of the Agreement on a comprehensive and expanded partnership with the EU.
Sharing the concern that the signing of the Agreement with the EU can create serious risks for Armenia's political agenda in the context of the Karabakh conflict, the expert is still committed to the idea that Russia itself is interested in concluding the Agreement. According to him, for today it is obvious the mutual desire of the Russian and European sides to meet each other, as a result of sanctions against the Russian Federation, they suffer multi-billion losses there and there. According to Margaryan, allowing Armenia, a strategic partner in the Collective Security Treaty Organization, to sign an agreement, the Russian side wants to show that it is prepared for dialogue and is ready to lower the degree in its relations with Europe. Nevertheless, the expert calls for a more balanced policy, if necessary - negotiate the incognito format, which in the future will avoid all possible risks.
Speaking about dividends for Armenia following the conclusion of the agreement with the EU, the expert stressed that he believes in creating additional investment opportunities for a number of areas of the Armenian economy. In particular, in the spheres of high technology, energy and science. The agreement will also allow Armenia to pursue a more flexible foreign policy, as the RA can become a kind of bridge between the EU and the EAEU in this regard, the expert said.