Marge Mardisalu-Kahar: It is important that Armenia-EU relations be as deep as possible - Mediamax.am

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Marge Mardisalu-Kahar: It is important that Armenia-EU relations be as deep as possible


Marge Mardisalu-Kahar
Marge Mardisalu-Kahar

Photo: eceap.eu


Yerevan/Mediamax/. "Informing the Public about EU-Related Issues and EU-Funded Activities in Armenia” training organized for journalists, representatives of the civil society and PR experts is held in Yerevan on October 20-21.

Director at Estonian Center of Eastern Partnership Marge Mardisalu-Kahar told Mediamax that there are a number of programs in Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries and they aim to bring together specialists to hold joint discussions to understand how they can properly inform the public about the EU.

 

“The EaP states have opted for the EU Association Agreement, the other three countries, among them Armenia, have taken another path. Despite that, it is highly important for us that Armenia-EU relations be as deep and mutually beneficial as possible. We should find the format of the legal cooperation document, but the absence of the document does not mean there are no relations at all”, said Marge Mardisalu-Kahar.

 

During the training, Founding Director of the Regional Studies Center (RSC), political scientist Richard Giragosian expressed an opinion that presently the Armenian government should pay more attention to relations with the EU, and human rights dialog to which Armenia remains loyal should be the main touchstone.

 

“We should deepen relations in all areas”, he said.

 

According to Head of European Department in the Foreign Ministry of Armenia Mher Margaryan, Armenia’s relations with the EU extend beyond discussions over a legal document. He noted that there is already broad cooperation within EaP framework.

 

“Discussions over the updating of the legal framework are expected in the near future”, he said.

 

Armenia-EU relations currently normalize by the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement which entered into force in 1999 and expired in 2009. It was automatically extended over the past five years and was to be replaced by the Association Agreement. After Armenia’s refusal to sign the Agreement, discussions over a new legal document have been launched.

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