Tuesday, February 28 2017 22:49

ArmInfo. "The new Armenia-EU agreement is first and foremost a political document that allows us to accommodate various interests towards the vitality of the  so-called policy of "both, and", said Armenian President Serzh  Sargsyan during a meeting ar the CARNEGIE Center, on February 28.

"Yesterday with President Tusk we announced that the negotiations on  the Armenia-European Union framework agreement have basically been  concluded. It is true that back in 1996, we signed the Partnership  and Cooperation Agreement to regulate the relations between Armenia  and EU. It, however, was not fully reflecting either the real scope,  or depth, or the ambitions of the Armenia-EU relations. Therefore,  with the new Agreement we will register the achievements and  development milestones and announce that we will continue to develop  our bilateral agenda in all areas", Sargsyan stated.

"It is important that this cooperation is based on shared values.  Even at the most difficult junctions of its history Armenia has never  been confronted with making a civilizational choice. Nobody is  forcing upon us the implementation of democratic reforms; it is our  choice. Our people view themselves as Europeans: our spiritual and  cultural heritage and our lifestyle are European. It is no  coincidence that today hundreds of thousands of Armenians reside in  Europe, and are exemplary citizens, whose talents and hard work serve  their countries. They also present an important link which connects  Armenia and the European Union", he noted.

"It is true that Armenia's accession to the EAEU at the initial stage  was received as a thorny issue by some of our western partners. I am  glad that time made things fall into place and sorted them out" said  Sargsyan.

"We are ready to promote the mutually beneficial EU-EAEU relations to  make them closer. Armenia is interested in the Pan-European  cooperation. We are fully aware that cooperation is the best way to  solve the existing issues, while confrontation and a policy of  creating new dividing lines has no future", noted the President.