Armenia / EU news

[Hovik]

YEREVAN, October 24 (RIA Novosti, Gamlet Matevosyan) - The Armenian foreign minister said Monday that Armenia is ready to complete preparations for a program of individual partnership with the European Union and begin implementing it.

"Cooperation with the EU is very significant for Armenia and is an important guarantee for implementing reforms in the country," Vardan Oskanyan said.

The minister said program plans had been submitted to EU officials, and if approved, negotiations between Armenia and the EU would begin "as soon as possible".

Oskanyan attended talks in Brussels at the end of last week to discuss the issue.

"During the first two months of 2006, the EU plans to conclude negotiations and approve the program for individual partnership with Armenia," he said.

[Hovik]

EU seeks neighbourhood policy deal with Armenia

EU seeks neighbourhood policy deal with Armenia


In Short:

The EU expects to be able to open talks soon with Armenia on strengthening ties and resolving conflicts in the South Caucasus region.

RELATED

The EU's new neighbours
Brief News:

The EU is prepared to open talks soon on strengthening relations with Armenia within the framework of the Union's neighbourhood policy, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana has told visiting Armenian President Robert Kocharian.

European Parliament President Josep Borrell has said that the EP "will do what it can to make sure the EU negotiates with Armenia". Both Solana and Borrell emphasised the need for Armenia and Turkey to settle their border dispute as a precondition for Turkey's prospective EU membership, and they also reiterated the need for Ankara to recognise the killing of Armenians in the early 20th century as genocide.

According to Solana, the EU is also "willing to help" in the quest for a negotiated solution to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The EU's Partnership and Co-operation Agreement with Armenia entered into force in 1999

[Hovik]

E.U. to begin talks on strengthening economic, trade and ties with Armenia

E.U. to begin talks on strengthening economic, trade and ties with Armenia

16:38 2005-10-20
The European Union must begin talks on strengthening economic, trade and security ties with Armenia, despite neighboring Azerbaijan's strained relationships with the 25-nation bloc, European Parliament President Josep Borrell said Thursday.

The EU had originally planned to start negotiations on tighter cooperation with all three South Caucasus states, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, within the framework of the European Neighborhood Policy program.
The talks were delayed last month, however, after Azerbaijan's relations with the EU deteriorated over Baku's ties with the breakaway Turkish Cypriot republic.

A Turkish Cypriot Airlines plane flew into Baku in August in defiance of an embargo from international aviation authorities on the Turkish Cypriot airport. Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Serdar Denktash was on the plane.

Azerbaijan allowed the flight in a show of solidarity with Turkey and Turkish Cypriots, who are campaigning for an end to their international isolation.

"It would be strange to block the start of the talks with Armenia over Cyprus, that dispute doesn't concern Armenia at all," Borrell said after meeting with Armenia's President Robert Kocharian. "The European Parliament will do what it can to make sure the EU negotiates with Armenia."

The EU's executive Commission also wants the European Neighborhood Policy to be negotiated with Egypt and Lebanon. Launched last fall, the "ring of friends" policy offers extensive cooperation in political, security and economic matters.

Kocharian said he hoped his country would be able to start the negotiations with the EU by the end of the year.

Borrell reiterated that the early 20th-century massacre of Armenians must be recognized as genocide, and that the Turkish border with Armenia must be opened as a precondition for Turkey's membership in the EU, reports the AP.
I.L.

[Gavur]

Kocharian Leaves Brussels Satisfied; Solana Opposes Kars-Ahilkelek Line

10.25.2005 Tuesday - ISTANBUL 04:54

Kocharian Leaves Brussels Satisfied; Solana Opposes Kars-Ahilkelek Line
By Selcuk Gultasli
Published: Monday, October 24, 2005
zaman.com


Armenian President Robert Kocharian completed his contacts in Brussels and left the European Union’s capital satisfied.

Turkey became one of the central topics during Kocharian’s meetings with European Commission President Jose Manual Barroso, European Parliament President Josep Borrell, European Union High Representative Javier Solana, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, as well as Belgian Senate President Anne-Marie Lizin in Brussels.

Kocharian is satisfied with the "support" he received from the European Union regarding making the acceptance of "Armenian genocide" a condition for Turkey's membership and about the issue of opening the Armenian border.

The European Armenian Federation (AEF), in a statement the previous day, congratulated the Union’s leaders for having cleared their position about Armenia.

The AEF announced that Solana and Kocharian handled the Kars-Ahilkelek-Tbilisi-Baku railway project opposed by the Armenia and that Solana supported the Armenian thesis against this project.

According to the AEF's statement, Solana emphasized that the border between Turkey and Armenia must be opened immediately and that such a project will not be needed when the border is opened. An EU source told Zaman the expressions that Solana gave suggest that "support" to the Armenian theses in the Kars-Ahilkelek-Tbilisi-Baku project will be "strong".

"Solana approached the issue in a very pragmatic way. Such a railway will not be necessary if the problems between the two countries are solved and that not using the current line would be a waste, but all these are totally pragmatic considerations," confirmed the same source. Solana is fully aware of Turkey's sensitivities about the issue and he understands these concerns, he also stressed. The Armenian lobby in the US also made attempts to halt the project in the House of Representatives and those close to the Armenian lobby such as Joseph Knollenberg, Frank Pallone and George Radanovich had sent a proposal to the House in order to obstruct the project.

European Parliament President Borrell, in his meeting with Kocharian, justified that Turkey's acceptance of the Armenian "genocide" and the removal of the "blockage" towards Armenia are conditions for its membership to the Union and that he supports the European Parliament’s attitude regarding the issue. Borrell criticized that no progress could have been made in the Neighboring Policy because Azerbaijan started direct flights to Cyprus. The EP president promised to do his best so that the neighboring policy can start with Armenia at once.

European Commission President Barroso, following his meeting with Kocharian, said they handled the absence of relationships between Turkey and Armenia and that Turkey being in good relations with its neighbors is related to the process of its membership.

Kocharian later visited the "genocide" memorial in the district of Ixelle with Lizin, giving full support to the allegations of the so-called Armenian genocide. The senate, which could not pass the law that imposes punishment on those denying the Armenian "genocide," is preparing a new draft resolution concerning the "genocide". The proposal presented to the Senate is expected to come to the agenda in the Senate Foreign Affairs Commission in the upcoming weeks.




Brussels

I like the fact in this Turkish article you don't see the "so called" next to anything.

[Hovik]

First Stage Of Consultations On Armenia-european Union Actions Plan Is Productive

FIRST STAGE OF CONSULTATIONS ON ARMENIA-EUROPEAN UNION ACTIONS PLAN IS PRODUCTIVE

Noyan Tapan
Nov 29 2005

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The first stage of the consultations
on the Armenia-European Union Actions Plan within the framework of
the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) which took place in Yerevan
on November 28 was held effectively. Armen Bayburdian, the RA Deputy
Foreign Minister, and Kurt Juul, the head of the Unit on Southern
Caucasus and Central Asia of the European Commission Department
on Eastern Europe and Southern Caucasus, stated about this at the
press-conference taken place on the same day.

According to K.Juul, the fact that the Armenian delegation was
well-prepared for the meeting, greatly supported the effeciency. "At
the first stage of the consultations Brussels was presented by a strong
team of 14 people. The Armenian team was also such a strong one," he
mentioned. According to A.Bayburdian, at the plenary sittings of the
consultations the Armenian side was represented by Deputy Ministers
most of who were assisted by few experts.

According to the characteristics of the unit head of the European
Commission, introduction of the actions plan will allow Armenia to
come closer to Europe, its values and principles as well as will
support a more extended presence of Armenia at the European market.

Armen Bayburdian informed that before the first stage of the
consultations, the sides gave packages of proposals to one another
and on the basis of that an attempt was made on November 28 to work
out a joint text of the actions plan. According to him, a small part
of issues to be discussed at the first stage of the consultations
was left for the second stage to take place in Brussels. The final
agreement of the actions plans is envisaged after the second stage
of the consultations.

K.Juul emphasized in his turn that the sides would do their best
to give solutions to all issues to be included in the actions
plan. According to him, the program will stimulate reforms of many
spheres of Armenia. "They hope in the European Commission that the
Armenian side will have a feeling of ownership towards that document,"
he mentioned.

According to Kurt Juul, the European Union envisaged the financial
mean of partnership and neighborhood for the countries involved in
the ENP which will be used corresponding to definite programs. He
mentioned that the volumes of financial means to be spent within the
framework of the ENP are still discussed.

[Hovik]

Oskanian And Rehn Discussed Eu-armenia Cooperation

OSKANIAN AND REHN DISCUSSED EU-ARMENIA COOPERATION

Pan Armenian
10.12.2005 19:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During his visit to Brussels Armenian FM Vartan
Oskanian met with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn, reported
the Press Service of the Armenian MFA. The interlocutors exchanged
opinions over a number of questions of mutual interest, including the
EU-Armenia cooperation and processes within the European Neighborhood
Policy. The parties focused on transport routes and borders within
the context of Turkey's accession to the EU. V. Oskanian and O. Rehn
also discussed the Karabakh settlement process and Armenian-Turkish
relations.

[Hovik]

Ce To Assist Development Of Democracy In Armenia

CE TO ASSIST DEVELOPMENT OF DEMOCRACY IN ARMENIA

Pan Armenian
10.12.2005 20:29 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Council of Europe will launch working out an
action plan to secure sustainable democratic development in Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, stated Council of Europe
Deputy Secretary General Maud de Boer-Buquicchio at a forum in Brussels
titled the Significance of European Cultural Legacy. "We will try
to assist those countries in working out new political strategies
to secure their sustainable development, strengthen democracy,
civil society and intercultural understanding," the Deputy Secretary
General said. She hoped for the EU to be a partner in the project
named Kiev Initiative.

[Gavur]

Armenia Posts Increased Trade With EU, Russia

Monday 26, December 2005



By Atom Markarian

Armenia's external trade rose by almost 31 percent to $2.16 billion
during the first ten months of this year, with the European Union
solidifying its status as the country's number trading partner.

According to the latest data released by the Armenian National
Statistics Service, the volume of commercial ties with EU member states
totaled $756.5 million, 55.5 percent up from the same period last year.
Their share in Armenia's overall external trade likewise rose from 29.5
percent to 35 percent.

Belgium and Germany continue to account for most of the Armenia-EU
commercial exchange. The official figures show the volume of
Armenian-German trade soaring by almost 86 percent to $227.4 million
from January through October. They also reveal even more massive rises
in the landlocked country's trade with France and Holland.

Although Armenia's export and import operations with Russia and other
CIS countries grew by 34.3 percent during the ten-month period, they
continue to make up just under one quarter of the overall trading
activity. Russia's share in it stood at 12.7 percent, slightly above the
2004 level. Still, it rose by nearly 50 percent to $274.5 million in
absolute terms.

Neighboring Iran, which was one of Armenia's main trading partners
during the 1990s, now has a modest 4 percent share in the latest
Armenian trade statistics. By comparison, Armenia's trade with Israel
was more than twice as high at $177.3 million. Israel surpassed even the
United States whose exports to and imports from Armenia totaled only
$143.7 million during the period in question.

https://www.rferl.org

[Hovik]

Armenia and Sweden Strengthen Bilateral Relations

Armenia and Sweden Strengthen Bilateral Relations


/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian being in Sweden today met with his Swedish counterpart Laila Freivalds, reported the Press Service of Armenian MFA. During the meeting the parties said they were satisfied with the dynamically developing relations between the two countries, stating readiness to strengthen these. From that point of view they appreciated Armenian President's visit to Sweden, which stimulated development of bilateral relations. Noting Armenia's urge to European integration, Oskanian presented the process of working out the Armenia-EU Action Plan within the European Neighborhood Policy to Laila Freivalds. Other directions of interaction between the two countries, regional issues, including the current state of Armenian-Turkish relations, prospects of talks over Turkey's accession to the EU were also discussed. The Armenian FM presented some explanations over the meeting of Armenian and Azeri leaders in Paris.
! Reproduction in full or in part is prohibited without reference to «PanARMENIAN.Net».

[Gavur]

Ce Will Refer To The Issue Of Opening The Borders With Turkey

Armenia will not be excluded from the Kars-Akhalqalaq-Tbilisi-Baku railway program. At least this was what the Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner promised today. «We will not finance any regional program which excludes Armenia», she said in a press conference today.

This is the first time the former OSCE Chairman-in-Office has visited Armenia since she was appointed in her new position. The aim of the visit is to enhance the relations between the CE and the countries of the Southern Caucasus. Mrs. Ferrero-Waldner intends to meet the Presidents of the three South-Caucasian countries and to clear up action plan of the European Neighborhood Policy, as well as the frozen conflicts of the reign and issues about power security.

In this connection Benita Ferrero-Waldner greeted the construction of the gas pipeline Armenia-Iran. She also informed that Turkey will face the issue of opening the borders with Armenia for the sake of the full cooperation of Armenia and the CE. Benita Ferrero-Waldner also voiced hope that in 2006 serious progress can be recorded in the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict. By the way, before arriving in Yerevan in Baku Mrs. Ferrero-Waldner had announced that CE is ready to support the settlement of the NKR conflict, but it is not yet clear how. «We will help you if you turn to us», she said.

The ENP-Armenia cooperation program will become clearer during the meeting of the Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy and the representatives of the three South-Caucasian countries which will take place on March 6 in Brussels.


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