ArmInfo. Continuing allied relations after the 44-day war, Moscow and Yerevan, no doubt, remain in their relations with the European Union on opposite positions. An expert of the Armenian Institute of International Relations and Security Ruben Mehrabyan expressed this opinion to ArmInfo.
"With Moscow, in any case, judging by the latest statements by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, no rapprochement on the part of Brussels is expected, but also toughening of the already imposed sanctions is expected. Nevertheless, the readiness of Armenia and the EU for the deepening of relations stipulated in the already ratified CEPA agreement continues to be questionable, "he said.
Moreover, according to the expert's assessment, recorded in the Association Agreement, the deepening of relations between Armenia and the EU cannot be characterized as being protected from pressure from a third party. And Yerevan has not presented a more or less tangible strategy regarding its own intentions regarding this agreement.
Recently, the process of ratification of the Comprehensive and In-depth Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed by Armenia and the EU in November 2017 was completed. It is assumed that the document will enter into force in full on March 1.
Mehrabyan assesses the political part of the agreement between Europe and Armenia as a roadmap for the necessary changes in Armenia in accordance with European standards. Meanwhile, over the past 3 years, there is no information even about the preparatory work for the implementation of the agreement, not to mention the strategy. And the same treading on the place of reforms in the judicial and legal sphere is another confirmation of this.
"Thus, if Armenia, for some reason, does not show the ability to move forward in relations with the EU within the framework of Brussels' traditional" more for more "approach, Europe will simply give up on us. Especially, given that Armenia, taken separately is in the European priorities in the conditional tenth place. At the same time, against the background of serious problems with the lack of certainty in the desires of Europe itself, in general, it is simply impossible to bring under a common denominator several dozen very different positions. In this light, in the absence of Yerevan's aspiration more, "it is unrealistic to expect certainty in a separate Armenian direction from Brussels. And, apparently, many such issues will again be resolved with effective coordination from the United States," Mehrabian predicts.