THE PATH OF INDEPENDENT ARMENIA AS ASSESSED BY FORMER AND CURRENT AMBASSADORS
Anna Nazaryan
Radiolur
27.09.2011 18:59
The Civilitas Foundation held discussions on “The 20 years of
Independence in Armenia and the region.” Ex-Ambassador of the
United States to Armenia John Evans, left Armenia five years ago,
and German Ambassador Hans- Jochen Schmidt assessed the path passed
by independent Armenia.
John Evans said he had been closely following the developments in
Armenia over the past five years. “There have been improvements on
many areas,” he said.
“When Armenia gained independence, it faced serious challenges: the
Karabakh issue, high migration rate, and it was necessary to overcome
those difficulties,” Hans- Jochen Schmidt said, adding that even today
Armenia still has to do its homework well to get closer to Europe.
Speaking about the Eastern Partnership Program, the German Ambassador
said: “If you want to get closer to Europe, you must ensure competition
and create a favorable investment climate. The EU is interested in
how the forthcoming elections will be conducted in Armenia.”
“Regional cooperation would produce good results if not the Karabakh
issue. It’s very hard to persuade the parties to make concessions,”
he said.
Speaking about the resolution of the issue by a third country, John
Evans said “unlike the Soviet times, Europe stands for more organic
solutions. That is why the OSCE Misnk Group does not impose any
solution. Armenia and Azerbaijan have to solve the issue themselves,”
the ex-Ambassador said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Emil Lazarian. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.
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