In an interview with RFE/RL Armenian service, Petr Mareš, Czech Foreign Affairs Ministry Special Envoy for Eastern Partnership, qualified as “complicated” the current state of affairs concerning Armenia.
He also expressed a doubt that official Yerevan will manage to sign any declaration during the European Union (EU) Eastern Partnership Summit to be held in the Lithuanian capital city Vilnius, at the end of November.
“I rather expect a document appearing on the table after the Vilnius summit. It is the first time that we are looking for the answer to the question: What to do when a country decides to enter the Customs Union while at the same time being prepared to sign the [EU] Association Agreement?” Mareš said.
But he also expressed satisfaction that the Armenian authorities are trying to have a substantive participation in the summit.
To note, Lithuanian official sources had reported that President Serzh Sargsyan will represent Armenia at the summit.
“It is very important that he will participate in this summit because you need to show that Armenia wants to continue cooperation with the European Union in some sense. We have this interest, too,” Petr Mareš stated.
In the Czech diplomat’s conviction, Armenia’s strategic alliance with Russia could have a significant impact on Armenia to change its foreign policy in such drastic manner.
“Personally, I think that it depends on security matters. There is a tradition here: relying on cooperation with Russia in this domain, and it is very difficult for the European Union to express a position. The Armenians should decide this,” Mareš noted.
The Czech diplomat added that no one doubts that official Moscow had applied pressure on Armenia to join the Customs Union.
“But ask the President [of Armenia] as to what degree of pressures the word is about,” concluded the Czech Foreign Affairs Ministry Special Envoy for Eastern Partnership.
To note, following the talks that were held on September 3 in Moscow between Armenian and Russian Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir Putin, Sargsyan had announced that Armenia plans to join the Customs Union and subsequently engage in the formation of the Eurasian Economic Union. Aside from Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan likewise are members in the Customs Union. And in response to this development, the European Union had stated that the signing of the Armenia-EU Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area agreement is now doubtful.
