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Global Insight
December 9, 2011
Armenia Will Not Join Post-Soviet Economic Integration Projects
by: Lilit Gevorgyan
Armenian prime minister Tigran Sarkisian has told media that his
country has no plans to join the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan
and Russia, which will make up the core of the Eurasian Union proposed
by Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin. Sargsyan explained that
Armenia maintains good commercial ties with all the Customs Union
member states but since it does not share a common border with them,
sees no real prospects of joining the bloc. He also added that there
has been no precedent of a country joining a customs bloc without
sharing a common border with its members. He clarified that for the
same reasons Armenia maintains only an observer status in the Eurasian
Economic Communist (EurAsEc). Nonetheless the South Caucasian republic
has recently joined the Russia-led Free Trade Zone Agreement which
includes Moldova, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and
Ukraine.
Significance:Sarkisian's comments come shortly after his trip to
Brussels to push forward with a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area
between Armenia and the European Union (EU). Although an active member
of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) a loose formation of some
of the former Soviet republics, Armenia is also a member of the World
Trade Organization (WTO) which the members of the Customs Union have
yet to join. Lack of common borders with the Customs Union to some
degree would also reduce the potential pressure by Russia on Armenia
to join its integration projects mainly involving the former Soviet
states. As for creating a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with
the EU, Armenia may have to wait until it holds its parliamentary
election and proves that its political leaders are truly committed to
improving the business environment and the judiciary.
December 9, 2011
Armenia Will Not Join Post-Soviet Economic Integration Projects
by: Lilit Gevorgyan
Armenian prime minister Tigran Sarkisian has told media that his
country has no plans to join the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan
and Russia, which will make up the core of the Eurasian Union proposed
by Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin. Sargsyan explained that
Armenia maintains good commercial ties with all the Customs Union
member states but since it does not share a common border with them,
sees no real prospects of joining the bloc. He also added that there
has been no precedent of a country joining a customs bloc without
sharing a common border with its members. He clarified that for the
same reasons Armenia maintains only an observer status in the Eurasian
Economic Communist (EurAsEc). Nonetheless the South Caucasian republic
has recently joined the Russia-led Free Trade Zone Agreement which
includes Moldova, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and
Ukraine.
Significance:Sarkisian's comments come shortly after his trip to
Brussels to push forward with a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area
between Armenia and the European Union (EU). Although an active member
of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) a loose formation of some
of the former Soviet republics, Armenia is also a member of the World
Trade Organization (WTO) which the members of the Customs Union have
yet to join. Lack of common borders with the Customs Union to some
degree would also reduce the potential pressure by Russia on Armenia
to join its integration projects mainly involving the former Soviet
states. As for creating a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with
the EU, Armenia may have to wait until it holds its parliamentary
election and proves that its political leaders are truly committed to
improving the business environment and the judiciary.