Month: September 2013

RUSSIA MUST UNDERSTAND ARMENIA’S INTERESTS IN EUROPEAN INTEGRATION – ANALYST

September 04, 2013 | 13:52

YEREVAN. – Russia must acknowledge the interests Armenia is pursuing
on its way to the European integration, political analyst Sergey
Minasyan said on Wednesday.

“Russia must understand the moves taken by its strategic ally. A
new format within which Armenia and EU could continue partnership,
may be beneficial to Armenia,” he said.

As to the response of the European side, official Brussels has
an impression that Armenia was pushed to this move. Nevertheless,
Armenia’s move appeared to be unexpected for many European officials.

“I cannot agree with those assuming ‘game is over’. Game is not over.

It has just started and can have new scenarios. Armenia’s task is to
find the most acceptable options,” Minasyan added.

The statement issued by presidents of Armenia and Russia on Tuesday
said Armenia has an intention to join the Customs Union and participate
in formation of the Eurasian Economic Union.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RUSSIAN EXPERT HAILS ARMENIA’S DECISION TO JOIN CUSTOMS UNION

September 4, 2013 – 09:53 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The decision to join the Customs Union, announced
at the meeting between the Armenian and Russian Presidents in Moscow,
is based on the long-term strategic interests of both countries,
a political analyst said.

As Andrey Areshev told PanARMENIAN.Net it’s still hard to discuss
specific terms for mutual coordination of positions; however, the
political decision was taken, which is important.

“Armenia’s foreign policy line implied mutually complementary
interaction, however, Yerevan’s European partners objected to the
approach, as did the forces aiming to use the so called Eurointegration
to reorient Armenia and loosen the country’s ties with Russia,”
the expert said.

He reminded that a number of agreements on infrastructure projects
have already been reached in Moscow, whereas the European Union mainly
limited itself to admonitions and attempts to introduce new social
values, the line of action hardly welcome for the Armenian society.

He also spoke about the Russian-Armenian military and technical
cooperating in the CSTO framework, Russian market where Armenian
agriculture products are sold as well as money transfers from work
migrants. “In the context of agreements reached, many issues related
to economic cooperation can be solved more effectively. However,
pro-Western circles in Yerevan hardly have a reason to panic. Russia’s
ties with the European Union are in no way threatened,” the Russian
expert stressed.

Earlier, Armenia expressed intention to join Customs Union with
further plans to be involved in formation of EurAsEC.

Russian President Vladimir Putin supported the initiative, voicing
readiness to assist Armenia in the process.

He also noted that Russian Railways may invest 15 billion rubles in
development of Armenia’s railway network.

The Customs Union was formed in 2010 to include of Belarus, Kazakhstan,
and Russia; Kirghizia and Tajikistan later expressed willingness to
join the Union.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA CAN COMBINE EU, CUSTOMS UNION, EURASEC PARTNERSHIP: EXPERT

September 4, 2013 – 12:12 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A Russian political expert commented on Armenia’s
decision to join the Customs Union, with further plans to be involved
in formation of EurAsEC.

“Armenia’s decision came as unexpected in the light of statements
suggesting oncoming Armenia-EU association agreement, as well as expert
opinions implying Armenia’s choice in favor of the EU, in political,
economic as well as national security aspects,” Alexander Krylov
told PanARMENIAN.Net

“Now, the ‘goodbye Russia’ theme has been replaced with a ‘goodbye
Eurointegration’ one in Armenian media,” the expert said, however,
advising against rash conclusions.

The expert believes that Armenia will implement a complementary policy,
with the latter quite admissible to Moscow, “although it’s clear that
coordination of the interests of the EU and Russia, as well as the
Customs Union and the EurAsEC won’t be an easy task.”

“At the upcoming Eastern Partnership summit, Armenian leadership will
need to persuade our Western partners that the complementary policy
won’t harm their interests.

Should Armenia succeed, the ‘goodbye Europe’ scenario can be cancelled,
enabling the country to pursue partnership with the EU while involved
in the Customs Union and EurAsEC,” the expert said.

Earlier, Armenia expressed intention to join Customs Union with
further plans to be involved in formation of EurAsEC.

Russian President Vladimir Putin supported the initiative, voicing
readiness to assist Armenia in the process.

He also noted that Russian Railways may invest 15 billion rubles in
development of Armenia’s railway network.

The Customs Union was formed in 2010 to include of Belarus, Kazakhstan,
and Russia; Kirghizia and Tajikistan later expressed willingness to
join the Union.

EUROINTEGRATION MAY MAKE ARMENIA LOSE ITS AGRICULTURE, RULING PARTY MP SAYS

YEREVAN, September 4. /ARKA/. Signing of the agreement about
association and agreement on deep and all-embracing free trade
zone by Armenia will make the country lose its agriculture, member
of parliament from the Republican Party of Armenia, head of the
Constitutional Rights Union Hayk Babukhanyan said.

A study by ECORYS analytical organizations who is an official partner
to the EU, Armenia will completely lose its agriculture and will
have its rural production reduced by 30% and its agriculture imports
doubled, Babukhanyan told a press conference Tuesday.

As a consequence, emigration from Armenia will grow, which is,
according to Babukhanyan, for the benefit of the European Union
interested in labor migrants from Eastern Europe and post-Soviet
countries.

In November 2013, an EU leaders summit will be held in Vilnius to
discuss Eastern Partnership and initialing of the agreement on free
trade zone with several countries, including Armenia.

The aim of the Eastern Partnership program is rapprochement between
the EU and Ukraine, Armenia, Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Belarus.

Under the program, political counteraction, integration level and
financial support are to be increased. -0–

12:35
04.09.2013

PRESIDENT’S DECISION TO JOIN CUSTOMS UNION WAS RATIONAL – PROSPEROUS ARMENIA PARTY MEMBER

September 04, 2013 | 11:12

YEREVAN. – Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s decision to join the
Customs Union was rational.

Non-pro-government Prosperous Armenia Party member, economist Vardan
Bostanjyan told the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am commenting on
Tuesday’s talk in Moscow between the presidents of Armenia and Russia.

“The main objective must be the security of Armenia and, naturally,
of Nagorno-Karabakh. We should be guided by this,” Bostanjyan said.

He added that there are several factors which predetermine Armenia’s
choice.

In addition, as per the economist, despite the attempts to bring
Armenian standards into line with the European ones, the products
made in Armenia cannot cause breakthrough in the European market,
at least in the first years.

“The main market of our export sales is Russia,” he stated.

Also, according to Bostanjyan, Armenia’s migrant workers, who send
money from abroad, primarily work in Russia.

“Considering these factors, we need to confess that the President
of Armenia made a decision that is the most appropriate to the
circumstances.

“[But] at the same time this does not mean that we cannot accept all
that is contemporary and desirable, which European integration will
give to our country,” Vardan Bostanjyan concluded.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am

ARMENIA TO GET $100M FROM EURASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK FOR NORTH-SOUTH HIGHWAY

16:55 04.09.2013

Armenia will get $100 million from a Eurasian Economic Community
anti-crisis fund, a Eurasian Development Bank official said Wednesday.

The 556-km corridor, designed to improve transport links between
Europe, the Caucasus and Asia, in particular between Eastern Europe
and western Asia, is to be completed by 2017.

In January 2010, the Armenian government approved an investment
program for the North-South transport corridor, and a framework
finance agreement between Armenia and the Asian Development Bank
worth a total of $500 million.

Wednesday’s decision came after discussions between the Eurasian
Development Bank’s Deputy President Sergei Shatalov and Armenia’s
Transport and Communications Minister Gagik Beglaryan, the ministry’s
press service told RIA Novosti.

EU OBSERVER: EU DIPLOMATS IN YEREVAN HELD CRISIS MEETINGS

14:41 04.09.2013

Armenia, Customs Union, EU

The announcement about Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union
came as a surprise to EU officials, the EU Observer writes.

The EU has concluded negotiations on a political association and free
trade pact with Armenia and expected to initial it at an EU summit
with former Soviet states in Vilnius in November.

If Armenia does become a full member of the Russian-led customs bloc,
along with Belarus and Kazakhstan, it cannot sign the EU pact at the
same time.

EU diplomats in Yerevan held crisis meetings on Tuesday evening to
get an insight into events.

A European Commission spokesman told the EU Observer: “We are
consulting closely with our Armenian partners. When we have all the
information, we will, of course, examine all the potential implications
of what was announced today.”

The website notes that “Sargsyan’s u-turn was made in the context
of tricky developments on Nagorno-Karabakh” and reminds that Russia
is Armenia’s main security guarantor in its frozen conflict with
Azerbaijan.

But in June this year Russia began delivery of some $1 billion of
tanks, artillery and rocket launchers to Azerbaijan.

“Russia in recent weeks has also threatened Moldova and Ukraine, two
other former Soviet states which are seeking deeper ties with the EU,
the EU Observer writes,” the article reads.

HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER: MEMBERSHIP TO CUSTOMS UNION WILL HAVE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON ARMENIA IN RESPECT OF RIGHTS PROTECTION

15:48 04/09/2013 ” LAW

If Armenia returns to the Soviet Union (and this is what membership
to the Customs Union implies), then it should forget the European
perspective, human rights defender Artak Zeynalyan told reporters in
commenting on Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union.

“We have nothing to take from Russia in respect of rights protection.

Moreover, at present we are much ahead of Russia in terms of rights. I
believe that membership to the Customs Union will have a negative
impact on Armenia in respect of rights protection. Our way is Europe,
where a person is more protected,” said the human rights defender.

Source: Panorama.am

‘CUSTOMS UNION OR EUROPEAN UNION? ARMENIA CHOSE CSTO’

16:29 04/09/2013 ” POLITICS

In a choice between the Customs Union and the European Union, Armenia
chose the CSTO, Caucasus Institute director, political scientist
Alexander Iskandaryan said at a news conference in Yerevan when
commenting on Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union.

“Of course, Russia can pressure the other countries which are
involved in the Vilnius process – Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia –
and get certain result. Instruments of pressure upon these countries
lay in the economic, financial and communication areas. However,
we differ from these countries because we have another format –
security. This is very important to us. We should take into account
the security factor, which is the CSTO. The Armenian authorities
could not but take it into account,” Iskandaryan said.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

POLITICAL EXPERT: SECURITY DEPENDENCE ON RUSSIA DEPRIVES ARMENIA OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO MANEUVER
by Ashot Safaryan

ARMINFO
Wednesday, September 4, 16:42

The security dependence on Russia deprives Armenia of the opportunity
to maneuver, Director of the Caucasus Institute Alexander Iskandaryan
said at a press conference when commenting on Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan’s decision to join the Customs Union.

He said that unlike Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia, which are also
participating in the Eastern Partnership program, Armenia depends on
Russia in security issues. “Deterioration of relations with Russia
might result in economic losses for Ukraine and Moldova, while Armenia
would suffer losses in security. Unlike economy or any other sphere,
security is irretrievable”, Iskandaryan stressed.

Nevertheless, the analyst believes that the possibilities of
cooperation with the European Union are not exhausted. “I think the
current process of rapprochement with the EU will be continued. It
is necessary to continue working with European structures and work
out a model of interaction and a special format of cooperation”,
Iskandaryan said.

To recall, on September 3, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan confirmed
Armenia’s intention to join the Customs Union and the process of the
formation of the Eurasian Union.

From: Baghdasarian