Deputy FM unveils timeframes of Armenia-EU talks

The EU-Armenia negotiations on a new cooperation agreement will start in early December, a deputy foreign minister said today, referring to recent talks held with the EU Delegation to Armenia.

“If you remember, a delegation from the EU External Action Service was in Yerevan recently to conduct discussions. And the [participants] exchanged thoughts on the timeframes; I guess the negotiations will start in early December, as there is a mutual willingness to do that until the end of this year. I am hopeful we vwill soon have more on that,” Karen Nazaryan told our correspondent at a news conference.

Asked what essential points will differentiate the new deal from the EU-Armenia Association agreement, the deputy minister said he knows that the clauses enshrined in free and comprehensive trade area deal are going to be reconsidered (to ensure compliance with Armenia’s commitments to the Eurasian Economic Union). But he said the achievements in other areas of economic cooperation will be maximum retained.

“The economic part will naturally undergo essential changes, and the Ministry of Economy continues the discussions with the corresponding partners of the EU,” Nazaryan added.