EAFJD SUPPORTS ARMENIA’S CLOSER INTEGRATION WITH EUROPEAN STRUCTURES
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.06.2008 18:33 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The European Armenian Federation commends closer
integration of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and
Belarus with the European structures.
"The accession prospect remains distant, differentiated according
to the progresses of the States but it has never been affirmed so
explicitly beforehand. It is a plus for Europe which is well-perceived
in the region but which is reputed to ask much and to offer few,"
stated Laurent Leylekian, the EAFJD executive director.
Yet, the initiative gave rise to the reluctance of the European
Commission. Mrs Ferrero-Waldner, the Commissioner for External
Relations expressed her preference for the classical approach of both
Southern and Eastern ENP, with an individualized treatment country
by country, saying that she sees "no added value" to the new approach.
Though supported by some MEPs, the Commission’s position led to
criticism by some others. Mrs Isler-Beguin, co-chairperson of the
Interparliamentary delegation with the South Caucasus stated that
she cannot imagine "how those countries could integrate more and more
and to comply with the criteria by the EU without a clear accession
prospect".
"The initiative is still fruitful: this meeting was for instance
the first one in which Georgia and Azerbaijan overcame the frozen
conflicts issue to address European issues," commented Leylekian.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
