Published since 02/04/2000
Published on May 04, 2009
EASTERN PARTNERSHIP - VESSEL ROCKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE EVEN BEFORE IT STARTS ITS VOYAGE
- One of the European Union's great strengths is its ability, as a prosperous, democratic community of like-minded states, to export political and economic stability to its neighbors. This strength will be put to the test on Thursday when the EU launches its "Eastern Partnership", an initiative to forge closer ties with six ex-Soviet states between the bloc's eastern border and Russia, The Financial Times reports. The Eastern Partnership, conceived by Poland and Sweden in 2007, covers Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. It is an improvement on the EU's redundant "European Neighborhood Policy", a 2004 project that absurdly grouped eastern European neighbors with places such as Libya, Syria and the Palestinian Authority. Nonetheless, the Eastern Partnership is a vessel rocking from side to side even before it starts its voyage. It appears unlikely that Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Voronin, presidents of Belarus and Moldova respectively, will bother to show up in Prague for the launch. Nor, it seems, will this week's summit be graced with the presence of all 27 EU national leaders. Russia, the ghost at the feast, poses another problem. All six ex-Soviet states were under the Kremlin's thumb for most of the 20th century. No sooner had the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 than foreign policy theorists in Moscow dubbed the area Russia's "near abroad". In the age of Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's prime minister and president, the preferred concept is that of a "privileged sphere of influence". In other words, Russia, like a Siberian guard dog, sees the Eastern Partnership as an attempt by some 27-headed terrier to encroach on its patch. A third issue concerns what is on offer for the six eastern states. On the face of things, it is not money. Under current proposals, the program will raise EU assistance to the region to a meagre €600m ($796m, £534m) from a previously agreed €250m in 2010-13. However, this criticism is misplaced. Through the International Monetary Fund, the EU is helping to arrange emergency loans for countries such as Armenia, Belarus and Ukraine to survive the global financial crisis and recession. From the recipients' point of view, of course, this may reinforce the perception that the IMF, not the Eastern Partnership, is where the action is. Far more damaging to the EU's image in the six states are the bloc's travel policies - what Tomas Valasek, an analyst at the London-based Centre for European Reform think-tank, calls "the expensive and gratuitously complicated visa application process". When the European Commission suggested in December that EU governments should aim to remove all visa requirements, protests came from Germany and other western European countries. As a result, EU leaders dropped the idea in March, replacing it with an almost meaningless offer of simplified visa procedures, on a case-by-case basis and as a long-term goal. The Germans and others take the view that it is inconceivable to extend visa-free travel to countries such as Ukraine or Moldova as long as they are significant sources of prostitution, drug traffickers and illegal workers and migrants. This attitude offends Belarus, which believes it has a good record on suppressing illegal migration. One alleged weakness of this partnership is that it makes no promises - even vague promises - that the six states will one day be welcome to join the EU. It is a tempting argument, but there is a risk of over-simplification. For example, Ukraine sees its future clearly in the EU, but the governments of Azerbaijan or Belarus do not. Each of the six states presents distinctive challenges. The best course for the EU is to draw them all as close as possible by means of free trade and visa-free travel, and - in the sole case of Ukraine - to make an explicit promise of eventual EU membership.
Headlines for May 04, 2009
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS URGE PASSAGE OF H.RES.252
U.S. Senators and Representatives called for increased vigilance and activism against genocide and genocide denial in floor statements commemorating the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National ...STRATFOR: KARABAKH ISSUE NOT INCLUDED IN ARMENIAN-TURKISH TALKS
Opening of the Armenian-Turkish border is quite possible, according to a Stratfor analyst. “Surely, Turkey doesn’t feel comfortable enough to open the border before resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh ...VAHAGN DADRIAN TO GIVE LECTURES IN YEREVAN
Professor Vahagn Dadrian, internationally-renowned expert on the Armenian Genocide will give lectures in Armenian Genocide Museum Institute, Yerevan, from May 5 to 7. The particularity of Dadrian's research ...ARARAT SPENT HIS WORST SEASON IN ARMENIA’S CHAMPIONSHIP
The 6th tour of Armenian Football Championship was completed. Matches between Ararat-Gandzasar and Ulis-Babants were held on the second day of the tournament. Guest players won both matches: Banants ...GEORGIAN AUTHORITIES SET MAY 16 AS DEADLINE FOR OPPOSITION RALLIES
Georgian opposition continues its series of protest actions demanding President Mikheil Saakashvili’s resignation. Today, oppositions are picketing the public television premises. Tomorrow, they are going ...CANCEROLOGY INSTITUTE TO OPEN IN YEREVAN
RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan met with Director of Development of Armenian Medical Projects France-based organization Dr Norbert Avetian to discuss issues concerning the establishment of a cancerology ...TIGRAN KOTANJIAN CLAIMS VICTORY IN DUBAI OPEN
Armenian grandmaster Tigran Kotanjian and Russia’s Dmitry Bochkarev are sharing the top position in Dubai Open chart with 6.5 points. In the last tour Tigran Kotanjian will play vs. Russian grandmaster ...OSCE SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR COMBATING TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS TO VISIT ARMENIA
The OSCE Special Representative for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Ms Eva Biaudet, will visit Armenia for the first time on 6-8 May, the OSCE Yerevan Office said. During this official visit, ...AZERBAIJAN ACCUSES RUSSIA OF OIL ACADEMY SHOOTING
Some Russian forces are responsible for the shooting which claimed lives of 13 people in the Azerbaijani Oil Academy on April 30. “Pay attention to the fact that gunman Farda Gadirov had lived in Russia ...DRY CLIMATE CAN SAVE ARMENIA FROM H1N1 VIRUS
Armenia’s dry climate is not favorable for H1N1 virus, RA Healthcare Ministry official said. “There are no reasons to worry but a medical checkup is advisable if some symptoms persist,” said Gayane Sahakyan, ...FITCH RATINGS AFFIRMS VTB BANK ARMENIA AT 'BB+' AND ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK AT 'BB'
Fitch ratings has on April 30 affirmed two Armenian banks, VTB Bank Armenia (VTBA) and ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank (ACBA), at Long-term Issuer Default (IDR) 'BB+' and 'BB', respectively. The outlooks on ...OBAMA: BETTER NEWSPAPERS WITHOUT GOVERNMENT THAN GOVERNMENT WITHOUT NEWSPAPERS
U.S. President Barack Obama issued a statement on World Press Freedom Day marked on May 3. The statement says: “World Press Freedom Day is annually observed on May 3 to remind us all of the vital importance ...VOFA GULUZADE: UNITED STATES TO LAY FOUNDATIONS OF AZERBAIJANI-ARMENIAN COOPERATION
Currently, US demonstrates determination to find way towards Karabakh conflict settlement, and the superpower’s desire is at least commendable, political scientist Vafa Guluzade said. “The upcoming meeting ...EASTERN PARTNERSHIP - VESSEL ROCKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE EVEN BEFORE IT STARTS ITS VOYAGE
One of the European Union's great strengths is its ability, as a prosperous, democratic community of like-minded states, to export political and economic stability to its neighbors. This strength will ...A HOLLYWOOD FILM WILL BEGIN SHOOTING IN ARMENIA
On a script of Braden King and Dani Valent , directed by Braden King, author of Dutch Harbor (1998), “Here” is a feature length drama / road trip film which will begin shooting in May 2009 in Armenia ...NEGOTIATIONS ON BAKU-TBILISI-KARS RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION TO BE HELD IN ISTANBUL
On May 9 Transportation Ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia will hold negotiations on Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway construction. A private meeting will be held in Istanbul on the initiative of Turkey. ...“RUSSIAN ESTATE RENAISSANCE” FOUNDATION AWARDED MURAD MOURADYAN
Since 2004, BAMO company has been engaged in restoration of Palaces of Volkov Boyars and Yusuf Palace”. President of BAMO group Murad Mouradyan was awarded “Cultural Heritage” prize in Moscow for restoration ...MOBILE PHONE SALES DECREASED BY 13% IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2009
Mobile phone sales decreased by 13% in the first quarter of 2009 compared with 2008 results. The result became an anti record of the last 8 years. According to Strategy Analytics research company, 245 ...ARAZ AZIMOV MET WITH TURKISH FM
Azeri Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov is on a visit to Turkey. New Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu received the Azeri diplomat in Ankara. Azarbaijan’s Ambassador to Turkey Zakir Hashimov accompanied Azimov ...ITALY STRONGLY SUPPORTS TURKEY'S EU MEMBERSHIP PROCESS
Speaking at a conference in Ankara, Marsili said that Turkey's face always turned towards western world. Noting that EU membership process was difficult, Marsili stressed that the target of Turkey was ...SUREN MURADYAN’S “CHILDREN’S SONGS COLLECTION” HAS BEEN PUBLISHED
“Children’s Songs Collection” featuring 70 verses authored by Suren Muradyan at different stages of his creative development has been published. Children’s book writer Suren Muradyan collaborated with ...A DAY WILL COME FOR UKRAINE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
“I’m confident, a day will come for Ukraine to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. To achieve it, we have to disseminate Crimean Armenians experience throughout the country,” Head of Crimean Armenians’ ...SOUTH CAUCASIAN RAILWAYS SUMMED UP FIRST QUARTER RESULTS
RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan met with Transportation and Communication Minister Gurgen Sargsyan and “South Caucasian Railways” CJSC’s General Director Shevket Shaydullin, SCR press service reports. ...CRIMEAN ARMENIANS ARE DOOMED TO ASSIMILATION WITHOUT ARMENIAN SCHOOL
Armenian Church construction in Simferopol and creation of Armenian school are Crimean Armenians Community's strategic tasks, Head of Crimean Armenians’ Community Oleg Gabrielyan said, adding that without ...ARFD DASHNAKTSUTYUN INTRODUCED ITS PRE-ELECTION PROGRAM
In a public meeting held today in Moscow cinema, for the upcoming elections of Mayor. The party’s main areas of concern are related to the spheres of town building, as well as financial-budgetary, economic, ...BUDGET INCOMES AND EXPENDITURES COMPRISE AMD 139.8 BILLION AND 153.4 BILLION RESPECTIVELY
In January-May 2009, budget incomes comprised AMD 139.8 billion while expenditures comprised AMD 153.4 billion, ensuring the fulfillment of Government’s program by 103.1% and 30.9 % respectively. Budgetary ...ARMENIAN AND RUSSIAN FIRST LADIES TO ATTEND PREMIER PERFORMANCE OF SPARTAK
On May 5, Armenian and Russian first ladies Rita Sargsyan and Svetlana Medvedeva will attend the premier performance of Spartak ballet (composer: Aram Khachaturyan). To that end, Mrs. Rita Sargsyan has ...RA PRIME MINISTER SIGNS DECREE ON DISMISSING STATE OFFICIALS
PM Tigran Sargsyan has signed decree on dismissing Deputy Minister of Education Bagrat Yesayan. Under another decree issued by the premier, Manouk Mkrtchyan, former Director of Testing and Evaluation ...EC FORECASTS 4% GDP FALL IN EU MEMBER STATES
According to EC recent forecasts, GDP in EU member states will fall by 4% in 2009, but is expected to stabilize in 2010. According to European Commission experts, economic index fall will slow down in ...MARIINSKI SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA HAD ITS FIRST PERFORMANCE IN YEREVAN
within the framework of Easter Concerts cycle. On the first concert day, the orchestra, under the guidance of Valeri Gergiev performed the works of Wagner, Tchaikovsky, and Maler’s 5th symphony. 2nd ...ARF DASHNAKTSUTYUN IS DETERMINED TO WIN
In a conversation with PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, ARF Dashnaktsutyun MP Vahan Hovhannesyan said the Party is determined to win When questioned about the impact ARFD’s leaving the coalition will have ...VALERI GERGIEV CONDUCTED A MASTER CLASS WITH ARMENIAN STATE YOUTH ORCHESTRA
Today Mariinski Symphonic Orchestra conductor Valeri Gergiev held a master class with Armenian State Youth Orchestra in Komitas Yerevan State Conservatory. The musicians performed Mirzoyan’s works under ...SERZH SARGSYAN IS LEAVING FOR NKR
RA President Serzh Sargsyan will leave for NKR at the end of week. RA President will participate in commemorative events for victory in Great Patriotic War, NKR Defense Army formation day and Shushi liberation ...IS ISRAEL GETTING READY FOR THE IRANIAN THREAT?
Air Force reservists who operate the Arrow and Patriot missile defense systems have recently begun spending one day a week on duty to sharpen their skills, amid fears that in a conflict with Iran, dozens ...ERDOGAN TO MEET PRESIDENTS ALIEV AND PUTIN ON MAY 13 AND 16 RESPECTIVELY
On May 13, Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Baku to discuss with President Aliev the current stage of Armenian-Turkish relations and the Karabakh issue. On May 16, Mr. Erdogan will leave for ...RESIGNATION DECREES OF ARFD MINISTERS NOT YET SIGNED BY PRESIDENT
“ARFD cabinet ministers will hold their offices unless the President signs decree on their resignation,” ARFD parliamentarian Armen Roustramyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net correspondent, adding that Provincial ...MAJORITY OF ISRAELI JEWS FAVOR A MILITARY STRIKE AGAINST IRAN'S NUCLEAR FACILITIES
A new Israeli opinion survey says the majority of Israeli Jews favor a military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities. The poll published Monday by Haaretz newspaper indicates that 66 % of Israeli ...TWO ARRESTED INTO SHOOTING AT BAKU OIL ACADEMY – MINISTRY
Two people have been arrested into the April 30 shooting spree at the Azeri State Oil Academy in Baku, the Azeri Prosecutor's General Office and the Azeri Interior Ministry said in a statement. It was ...VALERI GERGIEV AWARDED WITH ST. MESROP MASHTOTS ORDER
Today RA President Serzh Sargsyan met legendary ballerina Maya Plisetskaya, her husband, famous composer Rodion Shedrin, conductor Valeri Gergiev and pianist Denis Matsuev. “Within the last year many ...FINANCIAL CRISIS AFFECTED RA CENTRAL ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
At today’s news conference RA Central Elections Committee Head Garegin Azaryan gave a positive assessment to pre-electoral process, emphasizing that no complaints were filed and all candidates were registered. ...GEORGIAN OPPOSITION THREATENS TO BLOCK ALL GEORGIAN BORDER CONTROL POINTS
Opposition participants threaten to block all Georgian border control points unless Michail Saakashvili retires before May 11. “We’ll bring our apologies to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and other countries ...INHABITANTS OF YEREVAN CAN CHECK THEIR NAMES IN VOTING LISTS
“On April 21, voting lists were posted in all polling stations, so citizens can check their names beforehand,” Head of RA Police Passport and Visa Department Norayr Mouradkhanyan told the CEC press conference ...
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© AUA
Today in Armenian history- 1807 The Finkenstein Agreement is signed between France and Persia, against Russia and England.
- 1833 Birth of Kerovbe Patkanyan (armenologist) in New Nakhichevan (Rostov, Russia). He died in 1889 in St. Petersburg (Russia).
- 1913 Telephone service starts in Yerevan.
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