European Friends of Armenia (EuFoA) has published its latest policy paper "A closer look at the EU-Armenia Association Agreement negotiations".

This paper is, amongst others, the result of a round table on the Association Agreement negotiations, organized by EuFoA in July with Mr Gunnar Wiegand, Director for Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia at DG Relex in the European Commission, who is chief negotiator for the talks from the European side. The second plenary meeting of the negotiations took place last week.

"It is important now to explain why it is essential for the EU to have good relations with Armenia," commented EuFoA Secretary General, Michael Kambeck. "People heard about the Association Agreement, but in our paper they can see that it comprises a list of fantastic and concrete steps, including in the long run visa facilitation and a free trade area".

The paper outlines how Armenia and the EU are currently developing an increasingly close relationship which goes beyond mere cooperation. More than one year has passed since the launch of the Eastern Partnership (EaP), the Union's ambitious, deep and far reaching project meant to frame relations with its six former-Soviet Eastern neighbors, shaped by the principles of inclusiveness, differentiation and joint ownership. The start of negotiations, in July 2010, of Association Agreements between the EU and Armenia (as well as Azerbaijan and Georgia) aims at further political association and economic integration. EuFoA will follow this process closely.