Epress.am News from Armenia
The European Union should upgrade its relationship with Armenia to political “association” despite Yerevan’s plans to join the Russian-led Customs Union, French President François Hollande said at the start of an official visit to the country on Monday, reports RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun).
Hollande arrived in the Armenian capital on the second leg of his tour of the three South Caucasus states which he began in Baku on Sunday. He and his Armenian counterpart, Serzh Sargysan, opened a French-Armenian business forum immediately after a welcoming ceremony held at Zvartnots International Airport.
“We are not forcing Armenia to make a choice that runs counter to Armenia’s interests. I spoke with Serzh Sargsyan about that during his visit to France [last autumn],” Hollande told the forum attended by several dozen French businesspeople.
“We need to devise a Europe-Armenia association that would not constrain you with regard to the Customs Union plans that you have with Russia,” he said. The EU and Armenia can work out a model for such association, he added.
Armenia was on track to sign a far-reaching Association Agreement with the EU until Sargsyan unexpectedly decided last August, under apparent Russian pressure, to join the Russian-dominated trade bloc. The EU abandoned the planned agreement in response, saying that its dominant component — the creation of a Deep and Comprehensive Freed Trade Area (DCFTA) — is “not compatible” with membership in the Customs Union.
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Photo credit: President of the Republic of Armenia official website