'Armenian authorities are afraid to negotiate with the EU on any document' (video)
The hardcore of the new-level Armenia-EU cooperation is not Europe, says Styopa Safaryan, Secretary of the opposition Heritage Party. He accounts the passivity of Armenian authorities for their fear from Russia and says the latter continues pressurizing Armenia. “Armenian authorities are afraid to negotiate with the EU on any document fearing that it might become a headache or a trying ordeal for them,” says the Heritage representative. Vladimir Karapetyan, a senior representative of the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK), says after Serzh Sargsyan announced in September about Armenia’s intention to join Russian-led Customs Union, the European Union continued to seek opportunities for deepening relations with Armenia while ‘Armenia authorities simply lied to the EU.’ “They [Armenian authorities] went back on promises they had been giving for years, causing EU officials to feel disappointment with Armenia,” said Mr. Karapetyan. The HAK representative says the evidence of it is the visit of the EU Commissioners to Georgia, who bypassed Armenia. “It was a clear message that the EU wants to maintain political cooperation [with Armenia] on a low level.” Vladimir Karapetyan does not think that Serzh Sargsyan will come up with new and bold initiatives to cement cooperation with EU. To address the uncertainly in Armenian-EU relations Armenia should review its foreign policy, says Styopa Safaryan. He believes that the EU is as necessary for Armenia as water and air.
