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Please tell us how relations between Armenia and the European Union will develop.
Vyacheslav Kovalenko, director of regional programs of the Institute of Caspian Cooperation
The imminent signing of the Armenia-EU agreement on association and creation of a comprehensive free trade area is certainly a very important step, which has been prepared for a long time by the European Union and Armenia.
It is a voluminous document, which is mainly devoted to economic and trade relations, that is, improving trade and economic relations through the establishment of common criteria and common standards in trade relations between the EU and Armenia.
The document, as far as I know, does not include the establishment of visa-free travel between Armenia and the EU,
but, nevertheless, of course, this document, which is a progressive step in the development of the Armenian economy and the development of trade relations between the EU and Armenia, at the same time, according to available information, contains some articles that will oblige Armenia to coordinate its position in the field of foreign policy and in the field of border security.
This is a document which covers not only trade and economic relations but also goes beyond them.
At the same time, the project of accession to the Customs Union, the Eurasian Customs Union, and potential involvement in various Eurasian projects have been proposed to Armenia.
These proposals were received with hostility by the representatives of the EU, which stated that Armenia can participate in only one integration project - either in the European integration project or in the Eurasian integration project.
In November in Vilnius a summit will be held at which, apparently, Armenia will initial the Association Agreement and the attached agreement on a comprehensive free trade area.
How will the process be further developed? Of course, this is a step toward the development of relations with Western countries.
It is very important to understand how the relations between Armenia and Russia and the countries of the Eurasian Union will develop.
Is Armenia ready to continue to develop this relationship, or will this slide towards the West continue?
Time will tell how the relations with the European Union will change after the initialling of the documents.