Armenia’s accession to Eurasian Economic Union prompted by strategic
interests – FM
FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE
* Sunday, 21 September, 2014
Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan
and Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union (EaEU) has been prompted by
its economic and strategic interests, Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian said on Saturday.
He said Armenia would sign the accession agreement soon and would also
continue to put forth initiatives aimed at strengthening the
Collective Security Treaty Organisation as an important element of its
own security.
Nalbandian believes that membership in the Eurasian Economic Union
will serve the national interests of his country.
“Armenia’s membership in the EaEU is prompted by the need for economic
development and by the strategic interests of our country. Our
membership in this organisation cannot be called into question,” the
minister said.
“Armenia will seek to complete the process of accession to the EaEU by
assuming its full share of responsibility for the decisions to be made
by this organisation,” he said. “This will allow Armenia to increase
its competitive advantages in major export markets and boost export.”
Nalbandian also believes that membership in the EaEU will allow
Armenia to step up economic ties with other member states and
encourage foreign direct investment in the national economy.
Russia pledged to assist Armenia in joining the Eurasian Economic
Union to be created from January 1, 2015.
On September 3, 2013, after talks with Russian President Vladimir
Putin, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan announced that the “Republic
of Armenia will join the Customs Union and will take practical steps
to this end and will subsequently participate in forming the Eurasian
Economic Union”.
The Customs Union between Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan was
established on December 19, 2009, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where the
leaders of the three states – Dmitry Medvedev, Alexander Lukashenko,
and Nursultan Nazarbayev – signed the Joint Statement on its founding.
The first phase of the Customs Union’s functioning began on January 1,
2010, with the introduction of a uniform customs tariff.
The Eurasian Economic Union will become effective from January 2015.
Common markets of oil, petroleum products and gas of the three
countries will start operating no later than 2025, and a common
electricity market slightly earlier.
The EaEU should guarantee “four freedoms”: free movement of goods,
services, capital and labour among the member states.-
— ITAR-TASS