Economic diversification meets Armenia`s interests - Kaja Kallas 

ArmInfo. The European Union is deepening cooperation with Armenia at various levels, there are many problems that everyone faces. This was stated by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas in an interview with the Public Television of Armenia.

The EU is deepening cooperation with Armenia at various levels. There are many problems that everyone faces: cybersecurity, hybrid threats, external influence and interference in electoral processes. Cooperation in all these areas is possible, the diplomat said. According to her, it is also possible to interact in the field of crisis management, and the EU and Armenia have already signed an agreement on cooperation in this area.  She noted that Armenia expressed its willingness to participate in EU missions to establish stability in third countries.

When asked what the new EU-Armenia partnership agenda implies, Kallas said that it opens up new areas, including economic cooperation and assistance to refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh.

Touching upon the EU aid of 270 million euros to Armenia, the  European official said that the funds will be provided within the  framework of the EU program Sustainability and Growth and will be directed to the country's economy, including to support businesses, to ensure the well-being of citizens.

At the same time, Kallas avoided answering the host's direct question about whether Armenia is expected to join the EU. She noted that the decision to begin the process of joining the EU belongs to the Armenian people.

But if you look at the broader features, at the map of Europe, the benefits of mutual cooperation become obvious, she said. At the same time, the official acknowledged that in some cases, candidate countries have waited a long time to join this structure, and now the EU is trying to speed up these processes. When it comes to Armenia, it is the EU's immediate neighbor and it is in the EU's interests to develop neighborhood so that the Armenian economy develops and the well-being of citizens increases, she said, once again assuring that the EU and Armenia have never been as close to each other as they are today and the European Union is ready to explore new opportunities for cooperation.

Touching upon the fact that Armenia has serious economic dependence on Russia, Kallas pointed out the danger of keeping "all your eggs in one basket". Being dependent on countries that may not be so friendly is difficult. That is why economic diversification is needed. Naturally, your neighbors are not so simple, but we are also interested in lifting the blockade of economic communications and strive to expand Armenia's opportunities so that you are not forced  to be completely dependent on Russia. Of course, it is up to Armenia to decide, but everyone has seen how economic dependence was used against [countries], so contacts need to be established with friends, the EU's top diplomat said. 

Kallas also answered in general terms the question of whether the EU is really using Armenia for its geopolitical purposes in the South Caucasus, as the Russian Federation claims. According to her, the EU is a friendly country for Armenia, but it is up to her to decide. "Our goal is to ensure the well-being of the region, because today's problems of our neighbors will become ours tomorrow. If you face economic problems, this affects us, the stability of the region. Therefore, I think that economic diversification is in your interests," she said.

Speaking about the Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization, the EU official assured that the settlement of these relations is also in the interests of Brussels and the EU is ready to continue to  facilitate the settlement of relations between Yerevan and Baku.