Video: Ashotyan Speaks at the Discussion Titled ‘Armenia on the Road to Europe’

From a civilizational and value-system perspective, Armenia is not on the road to Europe; Armenia is Europe. If we talk from a geopolitical standpoint, then Armenia is not on the road to Europe again, but on the path of cooperation with Europe.

Armen Ashotyan, former chairman of the National Assembly’s standing committee on foreign relations, made this observation regarding the title during the discussion titled ‘Armenia on the Road to Europe’ organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, asking the organizers to take his comment as constructive criticism. “This is a comment on values regarding what Armenia’s relationship is with the EU as a European state in the Eurasian space,” he stated, as reported by Tert.am.

According to Ashotyan, the path chosen for the development of relations with the EU has been successful, and it can now be said that yesterday, today, and tomorrow, Armenia has been, is, and will be a stable and reliable partner, and the policy of ‘both this and that’ is a reality, not just a promise. “If we talk about relations with the EU, it is accepted to focus on CEPA, and this is correct,” he noted, acknowledging that the ratification process of the agreement is slowing down. “Unfortunately, EU member states have not accelerated the ratification process of the agreement,” he said.

Ashotyan indicated that the speed of ratification could be higher, and parliamentary diplomacy should play its role in this process. He did not consider the ratification process as just a legal process, which is an “opposition’s whim.” “It will give definitive legal force. It is stated in the transitional provisions of the agreement that until the final ratification, these agreements do not have definitive legal grounding by the EU,” he pointed out.

For more details, watch the video on Tert.am.