Yerevan is hosting a conference entitled “Eastern Partnership: National & European Dynamics” that is organized with the support of the European Union mission in Armenia. The conference is being attended by representatives from Georgia, the Czech Republic, Turkey, European and international organizations.

Speaking at the conference on Thursday Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan said that the European direction has always been regarded as one of the imperatives of Armenian foreign policy. He recalled the words of the president that although Armenia does not set the task of joining the EU, it accepts European standards and the European rules of the game.

In general, it was at the conference that Europe will continue to support reforms in Armenia. Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Raul de Lutzenberger noted positive developments in the country.

“In the near future Armenia has an opportunity to distinguish itself in electoral processes during the elections of the parliament and the president. They will become a good indicator to identify progress in Armenia,” said the ambassador. At the same time, he stressed the importance of not so much EU economic as political assistance to Armenia.

Minister Nalbandyan stressed that as part of the Eastern Partnership program European structures provide technical and financial assistance to reforms in Armenia. He welcomed the principle put forward by Europe, which is “more support in exchange of more reforms.”

Nalbandyan pointed out that the text of the EU-Armenia Association Agreement is now being developed and a free trade agreement will become an important part of it. The issue of simplifying the visa regime is also under discussion.

In this regard, German Ambassador to Armenia Hans-Jochen Schmidt emphasized the importance of opening the Armenian-Turkish border as a stimulus for trade development in the context of free trade. He said that economic integration will lead to new developments that should not be shunned.

In October, Armenia signed an agreement to join the Free Trade Zone of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a Russia-dominated alliance of 11 former Soviet states. The European partners of Armenia did not challenge this right, saying only that it will not prevent Armenia from entering a free trade zone with the EU because trade will be carried out under World Trade Organization rules.

Meanwhile, it became known that the EU has allocated 70 million euros (about $95.3 million) for a pilot project to foster regional development of “Eastern Partnership”, including for Armenia. Soon, a European Neighborhood Program on Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD) will be launched. European Commissioner for enlargement Stefan Fule said that the budget of funding in this area for 2007-2013 is 400 million euros (about $545 million).

The situation in Europe itself is close to critical. The prime ministers of Greece and Italy have resigned. And in France and Germany consultations have begun on the reorganization of the euro zone. Not only Greece, but also the countries that do not meet the criteria of strict budgetary discipline may withdraw from the monetary alliance.

A euro collapse threatens not only the European countries, but also the beneficiaries of the Eastern Partnership program. However, despite the difficulties, Europe does not refuse to support the Neighborhood Policy.