Tuesday, December 24 2013

September 3 and December 2 became crucial for Armenia in the passing year, said Richard Giragosian, Head of the Center for Regional Studies, summing up the results of 2013 in a press conference, Tuesday.

The analyst believes that the year 2013 was rich in the events for Armenia. Within the first half of the year Armenia had been actively engaged in reforms for European integration, but on 3 September Yerevan made a step back with its decision to access the Customs Union, Giragosian said.

According to him, the next negative event for Armenia was the December 2 visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Giragosian believes the visit was offensive for Armenia and threatens its security, as Armenia and Russia have no strategic partnership and their relations lack equality and mutual respect.  Nevertheless, he said, the year 2013 was a year of public activists. The summer of 2013 was rich in public protests and the people have showed their readiness to fight for their rights. 

As for further cooperation of Armenia and the European Union, Giragosian said that a new document of cooperation is being developed now. It will be made public in 2014. Nevertheless, the cooperation will not be at the level it was before. First, the EU has changed its attitude towards Armenia following the latter's decision to access Russia-led Customs Union. Second, the EU is changing along with changes in its strategic interests connected with the upcoming election processes at the EU and the Union's shrinking interest in the Eastern Partnership project.