Armenia’s European failure

By AzerNews

The latest decision by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to join the Moscow-led Customs Union has strained relations between Armenia and European Union.

One of the consequences of the decision was cancellation of the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU.

After the Armenian president's decision, the Inter-parliamentary Cooperation Commission of EU-Armenia held a meeting on February 5-6 in Strasburg.

For the first time in its 14- year history, the commission failed to adopt a final declaration, because the European parliamentarians left the meeting giving different reasons.

The last year's meeting of the commission in Yerevan did not take place at all, when the members of the EU delegation did not come to Armenia in protest against Sargsyan's decision to join the CU.

As the member of the Armenian delegation and a member of the fraction Armenian National Congress Nikol Pashinyan said the Strasbourg meeting failed because Armenian MPs were deprived of the opportunity to speak or give a statement. Furthermore, an official ceremony in honor of the Armenian delegation was canceled by the Vice-President of the European Parliament Yatsek Protasevich.

Pashinyan said, Armenia is not recognised as an independent state in Europe.

"Armenia is not recognized as a sovereign state in Europe, but as a Russian outpost," he said.

By preferring CU, Armenia is limiting the spheres of cooperation with the EU. Meanwhile, the mandate of the EU Advisory Group which has been operating since 2008 will not be extended.

The recent developments show that Armenia is not interested in expanding ties with the West and the issue has disappointed the EU. Absence of a sovereign policy may deprive Armenia from joining the large European family.