Armenia Could Have Avoided Entering Customs Union – Political Scient

ARMENIA COULD HAVE AVOIDED ENTERING CUSTOMS UNION – POLITICAL SCIENTIST

February 10, 2014 | 12:32

YEREVAN. – Turning down the European Union (EU) and the Customs Union,
and becoming a bridge between these two organizations would have been
the best option for Armenia.

Political scientist Yervand Bozoyan stated the above-said at a press
conference on Monday.

“Had it not caused resentment by Russia, Armenia could have avoided
entering the [Russian-led] Customs Union. Armenia should have continued
to pursue a policy of complementarity, and become a pathway between
these two organizations,” Bozoyan said.

As per the political scientist, Armenian-Russian relations were
strategic in the 1990s, whereas they deteriorated in the 2000s.

The analyst expressed a conviction that, ten years ago, Armenia
accepted the fact that Russia was its strategic partner yet it was
trying to expand relations with western countries.

“Russia had a very negative attitude toward the [EU] Association
Agreement, as a result of which a doubt surfaced in Armenian-Russian
relations. Therefore [Armenia President] Serzh Sargsyan was compelled
to announce, in September of last year, about the [country’s] entry
into the Customs Union, so as not to lose its strategic partner,”
Yervand Bozoyan maintained.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am

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