Good day,

I am glad to welcome Commissioner Fule, Madam Helga Schmidt, Ministers, Deputy Ministers of the countries of Eastern Partnership in Armenia. This third informal meeting has become a good opportunity to take stock of the progress achieved and outline the prospects of the Partnership in the run-up to the Vilnius Summit.

Four years after the launch of the Eastern Partnership we could say that it has become an effective tool for the promotion of cooperation between the Eastern Partners and the EU, as well as for the enhancement of the reforms process.

Today, we will also have an opportunity to discuss pressing of the international agenda.

Over the last several years in cooperation with our European colleagues the Armenian government implemented wide-ranging reforms, particularly in the areas of strengthening of democratic institutions and rule of law, good governance, protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, improvement of election processes and electoral code, development of civil society institutions. We are thankful for that support and look forward to continue our reforms in the future, as well.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Armenia is committed to take partnership with the EU in in different directions further, to the extent that would not contradict Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union.

Armenia is looking forward and is determined together with our European partners to maintain and advance those achievements and progress, which we registered during the last few years in our relations with the European Union.

Deborah Wild: Mr. Nalbandian, You made a decision in favor of the Customs Union. As much as I can understand the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement could be followed by the Summit of Donors organized by the EU which could promise huge investments and big financial inflow. You refused it by not choosing the DCFTA. Your Government declares that there was no pressure by Russia on Armenia in refusing to sign the agreement. My question is the following: what has Russia offered you for the membership in the Customs Union.

Edward Nalbandian: The point is not about what Russia offered in exchange for joining the Customs Union. The point is that Armenia has allied relations with Russia, and the dimensions of those relations can be observed in the declaration made by the Presidents of Armenia and Russia on September 3, where the deep, extensive and close cooperation in all possible areas is mentioned.

We have said during the Eastern Partnership negotiation process and even before it and we are saying that we are ready to further have, deep and expanded relations with the European Union, to be close to the EU as much as it would be possible for the EU, but not at the expense and to the detriment of our allied relations with Russia.

As of the issue of the negotiations of the DCFTA and the Summit of Donors, about organizing that we have been speaking for about four years, while the negotiations on the DCFTA started only a year ago. That is to say, they are not interlinked, though now they may be in some way interlinked… In any case, they were not interlinked.

As I already mentioned we are discussing ways, formats and possibilities with our European partners in order to further the Armenia-EU relations as far as possible based on the achievements that have reached during the recent years. And Mr. Füle also talked about that.