Goran Lennmarker: Sweden wants to see Armenia as a part of the EU

March 11, 2010 - 19:25 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Eastern Partnership initiative of the European Union offers Armenia closer cooperation with the EU. This is a proposal to the official Yerevan and Armenia has to choose how close it wants to be to the European Union Goran Lannmarker , OSCE Parliamentary Assembly special representative on Nagorno Karabakh said in Yerevan.

“The choice is yours, and Armenia, as an independent country can choose its own path. If it does not want to become an EU member, through this initiative it can become a good partner for the Brussels," Lennmarker said.

According to Goran Lennmarker, Sweden, his country of origin, wants to see Armenia in the EU. "Armenia, which adopted Christianity as a state religion in 301, is a European country and we want to see it in the European Union," Lennmarker said.

The EU's commitment to deepen relations with Armenia does not mean that Armenia should terminate relations with Russia. "Eastern Partnership" has far-reaching plans, and Armenia should decide itself to what extent it wishes to deepen relations with the European family," said Lennmarker.

Eastern Partnership

The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is the first comprehensive initiative introduced into the system of the European Union’s external relations, addressed to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The Eastern Partnership is designed to help the countries of Eastern Europe and South Caucasus with their approximation to and integration with the European Union. The EaP has injected a new quality into relations between the EU and the countries covered by the initiative through their gradual integration with the European Union.