The Victory of Armenia's "Both... And" Policy

• 11.26.2017, 15:15
• Liana Hovhannisyan
•  Europe,  "Insight" Analytical Center ,  World,  Armenia

In the EU Eastern Partnership Summit on November 24, the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between the EU and Armenia was signed, which, certainly, will turn the EU-Armenia relations into a new stage. The Agreement, of course, should be considered a great achievement in Armenia’s foreign policy. Being at the crossroads of the integration processes, we managed to bypass the dilemma, considered to be inevitable in such kind of situations. Instead of contradicting the integration processes, the Armenian side employed the formula of their combination, which during these years has proved its feasibility and efficiency. The new EU-RA agreement is a bright demonstration of it.

The Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between the EU and Armenia will have a decisive role in the RA’s European integration process, boosting cooperation and resulting reforms in such directions as justice, efficient public administration, human rights, basic freedoms etc. It is noteworthy that the cooperation opportunities presented in the Agreement are unprecedented in the RA-EU relations.  

However, it is important to realize, that for the efficient implementation of the Agreement, the political will of both Armenian and European sides, as well as active engagement of the civil societies are necessary. All the necessary means should be employed, to make the Agreement implementation process transparent and inclusive. The initiatives aimed at the awareness-raising of the society on the content of the Agreement and the existing opportunities are also important.

Summing up we can state, that the Agreement is a bright and successful example of the Armenia’s complementary foreign policy, which will further boost and give new speed to the reforms simultaneously in several important directions.