Everything depends on presidential election in Armenia
Armenia is likely to complete the negotiations over the Armenia-EU Association Agreement until the third Eastern Partnership Summit to be held in Vilnius in November 2013, Armenia's Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said during today's press conference with his Bulgarian, Polish and Sweden counterparts. Mr Nalbandian also said that Armenia and EU would sign a visa facilitation agreement on December 16.
"It will open vaster possibilities to Armenian citizens to enter the EU countries," said the Armenian official.
While hailing Armenia's success in the process of European Integration, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski stressed that Armenia is expected to hold flawless presidential election as a key prerequisite to strengthen it relations with the EU countries.
"The election should be held on the highest level to rule out any complaints or accusations regarding the process," Radoslaw Sikorski said adding that the European Union will closely follow February's presidential elections in Armenia.
Armenia's stance is compliant with that of Co-chairing countries
"Compare the statements of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers made during the OSCE conference in Dublin and you will see that the statement of the Armenian Foreign Minister fully corresponds to that of the co-chairing countries, which is not the case with Azerbaijani FM," Edward Nalbandian said during the joint press conference commenting on Baku's statement that the adoption of a five-sided announcement on the Karabakh conflict [by Armenia, Azerbaijan, US, Russia and France] had been aborted due to Armenia.
As Mr Nalbandian said during the Dublin-hosted meeting, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov insisted that the principles of non-use of force and threat of force, self-determination of peoples and territorial integrity should not be mentioned in the document. As a result, the adoption of the document was thwarted. The Foreign Ministers of the US, France and Russia adopted a three-lateral document instead, once again stressing the importance of the three principles, which have equal power and are viewed as a whole.
"Armenia welcomes the statement made by the Co-Chairs in Dublin. We could have made the same statement," Mr Nalbandian said in conclusion.
