YEREVAN. – Free trade area agreement with the EU will ease economic contacts between Armenia and the Union, political analyst Alexander Markarov said.

He believes Armenia must work to get these conditions by signing the agreement.

“Armenia is interested in strengthening economic ties with EU, at the same time not damaging relationship with Russia,” Markarov said during the Thursday media conference.

Speaking about the defense component, head of the Armenian branch of the Institute of CIS States noted that EU, unlike Russia, is not offering security guarantees for Armenia and other regional states.

Armenia is expected to initial Association Agreement, a core element of which is the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA), during the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius.