Kallas welcomed the recent passage of the law after the talks. But she did not say whether Armenia can realistically join the EU in the foreseeable future.
The one-sentence law declares the “start of a process of Armenia's accession to the European Union.” The Armenian parliament controlled by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s party approved it this spring despite stern warnings from Russia.
Armenian officials have emphasized that the law does not amount to an EU membership bid. One of them said in May that Yerevan has still not followed up on it.
The issue was on the agenda of Kallas’s talks with Mirzoyan. The latter said they discussed “possible, realistic further steps in the implementation of this law” but did not report any understandings reached by them. Kallas said nothing about those steps when she spoke during their joint news conference.
“I came here with a key message that the EU and Armenia have never been as close as we are now,” she said. “Earlier this year you adopted a law to launch the EU accession process. We very much welcome your readiness to deepen our partnership.”
In recent weeks, Russian officials have stepped up their warnings that Armenia cannot combine a drift towards the EU with its continued membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), a trade bloc that guarantees the South Caucasus nation’s tariff-free access to Russia’s vast market. Pashinian said earlier in June that his country will eventually have to choose between the EU and the Russian-led bloc.
Russia accounted for over 41 percent of Armenia’s foreign trade last year, compared with the EU’s 7.7 percent share.
Kallas and Mirzoyan announced on the Monday the successful conclusion of negotiations on a new “partnership agenda” that should further deepen the EU’s ties with Armenia. The EU official said it “identifies priorities on economic development, security and resilience” but did not elaborate.
Mirzoyan also gave no details of the “ambitious document” that will presumably complement the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed by Brussels and Yerevan in 2017.
The talks on the new agreement began more than a year ago amid Armenia’s deepening rift with Russia. EU officials made clear at the time that it will not offer Yerevan the prospect of an eventual membership in the 27-nation bloc.