YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS/HH: Europe has been created based on partnership principles that are applied both within its borders and relations with neighbors, Ambassador Piotr Świtalski – Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, told Hasaytani Hanrapetutyun (Republic of Armenia) daily, talking about the EAEU-EU cooperation opportunities and Armenia’s role in this process. He also introduced the EU’s partnership policy. “We want to keep it as a key principle of our policy”, the EU Ambassador said.  

He stated that the EU supports regional integration at each part of the world, but its support is based on the principles of free choice of the participating states and respecting the international law, which also includes respecting the international borders.

“The development of relations between the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union remains as a long-term prospect and depends on the political position of the member states”, Piotr Świtalski said, adding that the EU is ready to discuss the possible engagement with the EAEU by consulting with the member states and in parallel with implementing the Minsk agreement.

“We expect constructive steps from Russia to be more open in the commercial relations with us”, he said, bringing as an example the issue of Russia’s implementation of WHO commitments. “Those are preconditions for building closer relations with the EAEU”.   

Nevertheless, Piotr Świtalski noted that the EU keeps contacts with the EAEU at a technical level. “We hope we can solve the practical issues by this way and improve, regulate fields such as the technical procedures, customs assessment”.

Interview by L. Asatryan

English –translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan