“I think it [i.e., a free trade agreement between Armenia and the European Union (EU)] is possible maybe not today or tomorrow, but certainly later.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, stated the abovementioned speaking to Dnevnik daily of Slovenia.

To the query, “Final outcome of the Eurasian economic union should be free trade agreement with European Union? Do you see this happening in the perceiving future concerning, regarding the political difficulties between Russia and the European Union?” Nalbandian replied:

“I think it is possible maybe not today or tomorrow, but certainly later, because this is in the interest of all countries of this wider area. The idea of common security and economic space, free trade area from Lisbon to Vladivostok is not a new one and was raised in different capitals. I think it is in the common interest to realise it.”

And reflecting on the threat of militarization of the region, Armenia’s FM noted as follows:

“The main threat to the security and stability of the region is Azerbaijan - country, which increased its military budget from 163 million to almost 5 billion dollars in 10 years, country which is threatening to use force, country which is constantly making belligerent statements, propagating hate speech. This is the real threat. And we have to think how to address it, to find peaceful and negotiated solutions to the existing problems in the region.”