The EU is preparing new types of agreements to sign with Belarus and Armenia, which will link these countries with the EU much less than the Association Agreements, said Jean Asselborn, Luxemburg FM who represents the Luxembourg government at the Council of Ministers of the European Union.  

“We are looking for a system, which will prevent all bridges from being burnt. We realize that the Association Agreement is impossible, but everyone is ready to find an easier version - less persistent and fundamental. Everyone agrees on these two countries (Belarus and Armenia). This is not an Association Agreement, it won’t work. This will be something of a lower level; I can’t say how it’s called,” Asselborn said after an informal meeting FMs of EU member-states, during which issues on relations with Eastern Partnership countries and Russia were discussed, RIA Novosti reports.   

According to him, these agreements will provide no customs privileges.  “It will include a lot of things, but currently we are only working on it,” the Minister said.

“We made a proposal to Armenia and Armenia responded positively. Movement in a non-negative direction can be observed in Belarus. Europe should not lose the opportunity, which has come up with regard to that country. One shouldn’t think about the regime, but the population,” Asselborn said.

The Eastern Partnership includes Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova signed an Associative Agreement with the EU in June 2014.