President Sargsyan to attend Vilnius summit (updated)

PanARMENIAN.Net - President Serzh Sargsyan will leave for a working visit to Lithuania November 28 to attend the Eastern Partnership summit. In Vilnius, President Sargsyan will take part in the meeting of the leaders of the European Peoples’ Party and Eastern partnership countries.

Bilateral meetings will be on the Armenian leader's visit agenda, presidential press service reported.

At the November 28-29 Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius, Armenia will be represented by President Sargsyan, according to the European Commission website.

However, as Zhoghovurd daily reported earlier, citing own sources, President Sargsyan has no intention to attend the summit, with Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian to head Armenian delegation at the event. Also, sources say, the official will sign a 3-page document, to confirm that Europe hasn’t closed the door on Armenia.

According to Haykakan Zhamanak daily, the level of Armenia’s participation in the summit hasn’t yet been determined, nor were contents of the document approved by all EU states.

Sargsyan’s attendance depends on the result of negotiations. According to the paper, Armenia has no intention to make concessions or change the wording of the document. Supposedly, the wording concerns either the Russia-led Customs Union or the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Armenia completed technical talks on a ‘deep and comprehensive free-trade agreement' (DCFTA) with the EU in July and it was set to be signed at a summit with the EU in late November. In addition to a free-trade deal, Armenia has been working towards the signing of an association agreement with the EU, a framework agreement on co-operation that is seen as a first step towards political integration with the EU.

However, during a September 3 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Armenian leader Sargsyan said Armenia is ready to join Customs Union, with further plans to be involved in formation of the Eurasian Economic Union. Mr. Putin supported the initiative, vowing procedural assistance to Armenia.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt described Armenia’s intention as a U-turn in relations with the European Union. “Seems as if Armenia will break talks on free trade agreement with EU and integrate with Russia instead,” he said.

Linas Linkevicius, the Foreign Minister of Lithuania, which holds the rotating EU presidency, said Armenia “has blocked its chances of signing a free trade deal with the European Union by choosing to join the Russia-led union.” “We respect any choice of countries but they cannot enter both organizations at the same time because of different tariff requirements,” he said.

However, Armenian leadership continues expressing intention to expand ties with the EU, which won't contradict Armenia's CU membership.