Azerbaijan to Conclude the Agreement with the EU ahead of Armenia
Challenges and issues faced by the program are in the center of European Union Eastern Partnership Foreign Minister’s Meeting. Although the European Commission reviewed the program by Eastern Partnership, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia signed Association Agreements with the European Union, and other EaP states, basically, withdrew from association with the EU, being obliged to conclude other agreements with the EU, as Association Agreement is a priority.
Edgars Rinkēvičs, Latvian Foreign Minister, called on the EU the day before to actively support the partnership states, citizens of which should feel practical benefit from cooperation with the EU. Although last December Armenia launched a new phase of negotiations on concluding a comprehensive accord with the EU, the Latvian MFA stated, that negotiations on new Association Agreements should be launched with Armenia and Azerbaijan. Rinkēvičs stated, that the EU should conclude agreements with EaP member countries on free trade and visa cancellation.
During the visit of Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy , to the region early this year, issues linked to the forthcoming agreements with the authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been thoroughly discussed, and basically, their content has been highlighted, and not the name. However, deficit of trust in Armenia-EU relations should be concerning for the Armenian side.
Upon information of 168.am, they even consider in the European Commission, that Azerbaijan, which is too far from democracy, and which launched negotiations with the EU, will be closer to reaching agreement with the EU than Armenia.
Thus, according to the same sources, Azerbaijan will sign the agreement prior to Armenia, which was considered one of the leaders of EaP and resumed negotiations with the EU in December 2015. It’s also known, that prior to Riga Summit Azerbaijan submitted an agreement on strategic modernization partnership to the EU instead of the Association Agreement proposed to it.
Recently Malena Mard, Head of Delegation, Ambassador of the European Union, stated that negotiation on strategic cooperation agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan are ongoing. “Negotiations are intensively in process. Both parties are interested in creation of a wide and comprehensive legal base between the EU and Azerbaijan,” Mard said.
Based on information at our disposal, they also consider in the European Commission, that a visible shift is recorded in Azerbaijan-EU relations and will be recorded in the future, as Azerbaijan doesn’t have other international liabilities contradicting the agreement to be reached, which is existent in case of Armenia.
Upon the sources of 168.am the Commission is well-aware, that all negotiation phases with Armenia pass by Moscow and are agreed with the latter, which slows down the negotiations. However, even under these conditions the EU continues working with the Armenian side, attempting to conclude another comprehensive document to replace the Association Agreement.
By Araks Martirosyan
