Armenian expert Karen Bekaryan spoke on country's European integration.

In summing up the foreign policy of this year at his Dec. 26 meeting with journalists, Karen Bekaryan, Head of the European Integration NGO, made positive appraisals in the context of Armenia's European integration.

"In the context of Eastern Partnership, Armenia's situation is as follows: the progress is not so rapid as we would like to see, but it is steady progress," Bekaryan said. Progress depends on efforts made, he added.

He attaches importance to the 2012 parliamentary elections and their quality. "The years 2012 and 2013 will be a probation period for European integration," he said. Fair elections may prove an unprecedented signal for the European integration process – in terms of both quality and pace.

Bekaryan noted that Armenia has intensified its relations with a number of European nations. He also pointed out cooperation with NATO.