Experts: Objectives of Eastern Partnership began to gravitate more to geopolitics - COMMENT

Baku. 18 May. REPORT.AZ/ Substituting the true meaning of the declared objectives of the Eastern Partnership, the official Brussels aimed at solving geopolitical problems, experts say commented on Report Eastern Partnership Summit to be held in Riga on May 21-22.

"Initially, Azerbaijan has set itself the task of close cooperation in various fields, in a number of projects that are of interest both EU and Azerbaijan, that is based on mutual interests.Specifically, these are issues related to the scientific and cultural exchanges, as well as the simplification of the visa regime", said the political scientist Fikret Sadikhov to Report.

He stressed that Azerbaijan has never declared its desire to join the EU and sign the Association Agreement, in contrast to Armenia, that "tossed", promised to sign the agreement, and then over to the Eurasian Union (EAEC), and signed the document on joining to it.

"We have a fairly strong position, don't deceive anybody. We firmly headed towards European integration without any obligations to the EU, with no promises to enter into any structure or sign any additional agreements or contract, "- said the analyst, adding that cooperation with the EU within the framework of the Eastern Partnership in the interests of Azerbaijan.

In turn, the director of the Center of public relations of Ukraine Evgeni Magda expressed opinion that the Eastern Partnership is not able to realize all of its features.

"There are objective and subjective reasons. Among the first - the EU's inability to promptly resolve problems caused by the admission of new members, jealousy countries of old Europe to the" upstarts "from Central Europe.

Subjectively, Russia is seeking to increase its influence in the former Soviet Union, are increasingly saying "either-or" states co-operating with the EU", said E.Magda.

He expressed the opinion that the Riga summit will be a turning point in this issue. "The Eastern Partnership should demonstrate its viability and prospects of reality to all its members, otherwise the project will be purely formal," - expert said.

He pointed out that the program of the Eastern Partnership, as it turned more lurched towards geopolitics and its economic component is raising more and more questions to the authors of the project.

"In fact, it is clear how the true meaning of declared objectives replaced by the completely different substance, and even with a clear political content", said the head of the center.

In addition, Azerbaijani political scientist Tofig Abbasov expressed the view that the essence of the Eastern Partnership program - a "pull out a group of six post-Soviet states of Russia's orbit and forcefully bring them closer to the EU."

"Therefore, the question arises - what is for the authors of the project for the Eastern Partnership more important - 6 new welfare states, or their isolation from Russia?! An example of Ukraine, and Moldova and Georgia shows that Brussels is clearly aimed at addressing the geopolitical rather than economic objectives in the role where first of all necessary to weaken Russia's position by depriving it of the market space", said the expert.