Most probably Russia won’t oppose to Armenia-EU future agreement: Richard Giragosian

“The EU has the opportunity to maintain Eastern Partnership,” Richard Giragosian, Founding Director of the Regional Studies Center (RSC), political scientist, told 168.am, reflecting to future of Armenia-EU relations, EaP program, discourse around strengthening security component in the EU.

President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker these days touched upon the necessity of establishing common EU military assets. “The EU member countries should be strong militarily. The EU should coordinate its activities with NATO,” he said. Touching upon this statement, Richard Giragosian said that it shouldn’t be observed as a serious one.

According to him, this is from the line of recent statements by some EU officials, which are about the necessity of strengthening military and defending capabilities of the EU. “However, as we may see, this is neither the first nor the last likewise comment. European security is mainly provided by separate countries on account of their military capabilities, and this is violated under migration threat and internal terror.

We shouldn’t anticipate that the EU will immediately turn into tough military power,” Richard Giragosian said. According to the latter, however, future of relations with the EU is crucial for Armenia from the perspective of economic and even soft security support, for instance, cyber security. Richard Giragosian said that joining the EEU was a step not only providing Armenia’s security, but rise of threat. “Unfortunately, it revealed restrictions of decision making in Armenia. Fortunately, rare third possibility for Armenia has emerged—restore, retake and reconstruct its relations with the EU.

There is a political will both in Yerevan and Brussels of not losing this opportunity. Beginning from April clashes, besides the fields of economy and politics, there is a field relating to security within Armenia-EU cooperation, which is proposed to Armenia, besides cyber security, strengthening of reforms in the field of defense, improvement  in the field of purchase, i.e. a range of fields, which don’t threaten Russia, nor they interfere with Armenia-Russia partnership.

Thus, on account of this, we may say, that there is a possibility for the EU to maintain EaP, raise Armenia from the level of Azerbaijan and Belarus, however, at the same time reaching new legal ground of relations. Prior to this moment Russia hasn’t opposed to this, and, to all probabilities, won’t do it,” analyst Giragosian said. In his concluding remarks the political scientist said that we should follow the negotiations, next stage of which will be launched in October.

By Araks Martirosyan