Switalski: EU will take all measures to make the Armenia-EU framework agreement timely signed

ArmInfo. I assure you that all the necessary steps are being taken to sign an agreement on a comprehensive and expanded Armenia-EU partnership at the Brussels Summit of the Eastern Partnership in November. The head of the EU Delegation to Armenia Piotr Switalski stated this on October 24 in Yerevan in an interview with journalists, answering the question whether it is possible that due to technical procedures the parties will not sign the framework agreement in November this year.

"On the part of the EU apparatus, all the necessary efforts are being made to implement this agreement. We are resolute in giving this opportunity and we will take all measures to ensure that the agreement was signed in time, " Switalski said.  To the journalists' observation that he also does not exclude the fact that the agreement may not be signed, the ambassador reassured that the EU spares no effort to use all regulations in order to ensure the timely signing of the agreement. "I am convinced that it will be realized. You know me, I'm an optimist, "the ambassador concluded.

Recall that in October 2015, the European Union granted a mandate to its executive body, the European Commission, to start negotiations with Armenia on a new legal framework for relations. This framework document is intended to replace the Association Agreement, which was agreed by Yerevan and Brussels, but was not initialed, since in September 2013 Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan unexpectedly for many said about Armenia's decision to participate in Eurasian integration, which, in fact, meant a breakdown signing of the Association Agreement.

Yerevan and Brussels later began to consider the possibility of negotiating a less ambitious agreement, which would not contradict Armenia's obligations in the framework of its membership in the Eurasian Economic Union. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, after meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian on December 7, 2015 in Brussels, said that the start of a new negotiating stage would close the page of uncertainty that arose after 2013. On February 27, 2017, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, after talks with European Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels, announced the completion of the talks. On March 21, 2017, Armenia and the EU initialed the Agreement on Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership. It is expected that the agreement will be signed on November 24 at  Summit in Brussels.