EUROPEAN COMMISSION SUGGESTED PREFERENTIAL PARTNERSHIP TO ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net - The European Commission has suggested the EU "new neighbors," including Armenia, a policy of preferential partnership. As noted by the EU Commissioner for Enlargement Gunter Verheugen, in the long-term prospect a free trade zone with neighbor countries is planned to be created with the purpose of achieving "full economic integration." As reported by Mediamax news agency, besides Armenia, the European Commission suggested preferential terms to Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine, as well as to Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunis and Palestine. However in contrast to the Balkan countries and Turkey, they are not offered the prospect of accession to the EU. "Accession of those countries to the EU is not on the agenda," Verheugen noted. The policy of preferential partnership with new neighbors at the initial stage provides for realization of bilateral plans, which will allow the parties to become close within 3-5 years. This is done for the "new neighbors" to have an opportunity to get acquainted with EU education, research and IT programs, as well as cooperate in opening markets, border management, transport, energy, environment protection, fight against terrorism and organized crime. To realize the program the European Commission intends to allocate 255 million euros in 2004-2006.