ARMENIA’S JOINING EAEU NOT TO BE EXCUSE TO DENY EAEU MEMBERSHIP TO AZERBAIJAN

ITAR-TASS, Russia
June 3, 2014 Tuesday 06:20 PM GMT+4

MOSCOW June 3

– Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Belarus
and Kazakhstan does not exclude possible accession to this association
by Azerbaijan, minister of integration and macro economics of the
Eurasian Economic Commission Tatiana Valovaya said on Tuesday.

Earlier, Russia’s Minister of Economic Development Alexei Ulyukayev
spoke about Azerbaijan’s possible joining the Eurasian Economic Union.

“All formats of integration are possible and open for Azerbaijan,
whether it be the Customs Union or the Eurasian Economic Union,” he
said, adding that problems might arise due to territorial disputes
between Armenia and Azerbaijan. However, at their summit meeting in
Astana on May 29, the presidents of the Customs Union states decided
that Armenia was to join the Eurasian Economic Union within the
boundaries recognized by the United Nations.

So far, Valovaya said, Azerbaijan had not applied for membership in
the Eurasian Economic Union. “There is no negotiations track,” she
noted. “Armenia’s joining the Eurasian Economic Union cannot serve
as a ground not to consider Azerbaijan’s possible accession. But
as of yet we have no such application from Azerbaijan. We haven’t
considered any.”

Commenting on the statement by Abkhazia’s acting President Valery
Bganba about his country’s possible membership in the Eurasian Economic
Union, Valovaya said this issue had not been looked at either. Although
membership in this union is a purely economic matter, it, nonetheless,
should not negatively impact the political situation, she said. “As
for Abkhazia, we are very accurate about legal decisions, that is why
any issues related to admitting new members are decided on the basis of
consensus and with due account of all international norms,” she added.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress