YEREVAN. – The European Union does not retaliate countries for their choices, Mr Adriano Martins, Deputy Head of division at the European External Action Service, said on Thursday at the session of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee in Yerevan.

“It’s not in the culture of the European Union to retaliate countries for their choices,” he said.

Mr Sajjad Karim, the Co-Chair of the Commission, emphasized that the sovereign decision of Armenia is completely respected.

“We may hold our own views, but we respect those of our partners. This is something that has been acknowledged here,” he added.

Of course, Martins said, the country can no more apply for Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, but not merely because of joining the Eurasian Economic Union, but rather because of the underlying commitments for closer economic integration with that bloc, which makes it impossible to be part of DCFTA as well.

Some people think that Armenia can compromise on enforcing those parts of the DCFTA (which Yerevan had drafted with Brussels before joining the Eurasian Union) which comply with Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Union. But this is a simplistic approach which lacks understanding of what is required to establish free trade with the EU, he added.