“Long-awaited” Eastern Partnership summit launches in Vilnius

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Third Eastern Partnership Summit launches today, November 28 in Vilnius. High-ranking officials from EU member states, EU institutions and the six Eastern Partner countries will participate.

Through the event, EU aims at establishing closer ties with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Belarus and Ukraine. At the summit, Armenia will be represented by President Serzh Sargsyan.

EU and Armenia

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.

EU and Ukraine

In a move that stunned Europe, the Ukrainian government last week announced it would seek closer cooperation with Russia and the Moscow-led Customs Union trade bloc, which also comprises Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Ukraine has not abandoned plans to sign a landmark trade deal with the European Union, the country’s top diplomat said.

“Ukraine is not rejecting the agreement on association [with the EU], we are simply talking about suspension of its signing,” Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara told reporters Monday, November 25, in the capital, Kyiv. “Neither Ukraine nor the EU are ready for this deal.”

Ukraine has come under sustained pressure from the Kremlin in recent months as diplomatic negotiations over its alignment with the EU intensified.

Ukraine’s decision not to sign the Association Agreement with the EU brought also the changes to the final Eastern Partnership declaration.

European Union has decided not to include Article 49 in the official declaration of Vilnius Summit. The article supposed to allow any European country to apply for membership if it “respects the fundamental values of the EU”.

The draft document instead mentions that “the participants of the Vilnius Summit reaffirm the acknowledgment of the European aspirations and the European choice of some partners and their commitment to build deep and sustainable democracy.”

In the article it is mentioned also that the EU is weakening the text even further as it currently refers to the six Eastern Partnership nations as “countries” or “partner countries” instead of “states”. That is also seen as a weakening link to enlargement prospects.

Eastern Partnership Summit goals

President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and President of the European Council Herman van Rompuy published the final declaration for the Eastern Partnership program. The document reiterates the goals of the program and its achievements. Barroso and van Rompuy said that the 3rd summit of the Eastern Partnership in Vilnius will reaffirm efforts to consolidate the European continent.

The goal of the program is to build a democratic, prosperous and stable neighborhood based on dominance of the law. The summit will focus on progress achieved in Moldova and Georgia and signing of association agreements. The offer to Ukraine to sign the association agreement is still in force, the EU leaders reminded. They noted that Ukraine needs to show political will and fulfill the obligations declared in December 2012.

According to the document, the Vilnius summit and the past 4 years of the Eastern Partnership are only the first steps of cooperation between the EU and its Eastern partners.