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RUSSIAN OFFICIAL NAMES ARMENIA EXCLAVE OF CUSTOMS UNION
tert.am
20.12.12
The chief of the Eurasian Integration Committee was reported on
Monday to have compared Armenia with the Russian exclave region,
Kaliningrad, when speaking of the country's potentials for joining
the Custom's Union.
"It seems an unsurmountable obstacle to many. But that isn't so
from my point of view. The Russian Federation has one exclave - the
Kaliningrad region - on its territory. And the Customs Union may have
an exclave today on the existing level of communication development.
Armenia has, of course, very sensitive infra-structure restrictions; it
has one transport corridor to the Customs Union, which passes through
Georgia," Victor Khristenko told the Russian newspaper Vedomosti.
Commenting on the Russian official's statement, the Armenian political
analyst, Hrant Melik Shahnazaryan, said he doesn't see anything
offensive about that. "An enclave is a territory that has no borders.
A comparison with the mother state was made because neither the
Kaliningrad region nor the Republic of Armenia has a land border [with
Russia], with all trade issues being resolved through air communication
or a transit route through third countries," he told Tert.am.
The expert explained that only the absence of common borders was at
the heart of the comparison. "That comparison was not appropriate,
of course, given several circumstances, first of all, the neighbors,"
he said. "Secondly, Russia has a big political desire to involve
Armenia in these Eurasian processes, particularly the Customs Union."
A representative of the Russian State Duma, who visited Armenia
several years ago, had called the country a forepost.
"After all, these are trends for expanding the Russian state,"
Melik Shahnazaryan said, adding that statements of the kind should
not make the Armenian authorities give their immediate consent to
such proposals.
According to him a comprehensive analysis is now in the interests of
Armenia as that would help the country realize what Russia means by
saying Eurasian integration.
Russia has not taken into consideration the fact that Armenia's current
problems with some of its neighbors could prevent the country from
developing trade relations with any state, Melik-Shahnazaryan added.
Asked whether avoiding a membership is possible at all, the expert
said it is more important to consider the appropriateness of the plan.
"It is simply necessary to realize and assess fully all the existing
risks and advantages that could emanate from the union," he said.
The analyst believes Armenia's integration to the Eurasian processes
would complement rather than restrict the country's EU efforte.
"It will restrict to a certain extent, definitely, because we know
Armenia is now conducting talks for joining the European Free Trade
Area. It is just necessary at this point to study and realize which
market is more advantageous to Armenia," he said.
A former foreign minister of Armenia, Alexander Arzumanyan, who
is now a member of the opposition Heritage party faction in the
National Assembly, said the Russian officials considered Armenia a
non-independent state for quite a long time.
"While they used to call us a forepost, they have progressed now,
naming us an exclave," he explained.
tert.am
20.12.12
The chief of the Eurasian Integration Committee was reported on
Monday to have compared Armenia with the Russian exclave region,
Kaliningrad, when speaking of the country's potentials for joining
the Custom's Union.
"It seems an unsurmountable obstacle to many. But that isn't so
from my point of view. The Russian Federation has one exclave - the
Kaliningrad region - on its territory. And the Customs Union may have
an exclave today on the existing level of communication development.
Armenia has, of course, very sensitive infra-structure restrictions; it
has one transport corridor to the Customs Union, which passes through
Georgia," Victor Khristenko told the Russian newspaper Vedomosti.
Commenting on the Russian official's statement, the Armenian political
analyst, Hrant Melik Shahnazaryan, said he doesn't see anything
offensive about that. "An enclave is a territory that has no borders.
A comparison with the mother state was made because neither the
Kaliningrad region nor the Republic of Armenia has a land border [with
Russia], with all trade issues being resolved through air communication
or a transit route through third countries," he told Tert.am.
The expert explained that only the absence of common borders was at
the heart of the comparison. "That comparison was not appropriate,
of course, given several circumstances, first of all, the neighbors,"
he said. "Secondly, Russia has a big political desire to involve
Armenia in these Eurasian processes, particularly the Customs Union."
A representative of the Russian State Duma, who visited Armenia
several years ago, had called the country a forepost.
"After all, these are trends for expanding the Russian state,"
Melik Shahnazaryan said, adding that statements of the kind should
not make the Armenian authorities give their immediate consent to
such proposals.
According to him a comprehensive analysis is now in the interests of
Armenia as that would help the country realize what Russia means by
saying Eurasian integration.
Russia has not taken into consideration the fact that Armenia's current
problems with some of its neighbors could prevent the country from
developing trade relations with any state, Melik-Shahnazaryan added.
Asked whether avoiding a membership is possible at all, the expert
said it is more important to consider the appropriateness of the plan.
"It is simply necessary to realize and assess fully all the existing
risks and advantages that could emanate from the union," he said.
The analyst believes Armenia's integration to the Eurasian processes
would complement rather than restrict the country's EU efforte.
"It will restrict to a certain extent, definitely, because we know
Armenia is now conducting talks for joining the European Free Trade
Area. It is just necessary at this point to study and realize which
market is more advantageous to Armenia," he said.
A former foreign minister of Armenia, Alexander Arzumanyan, who
is now a member of the opposition Heritage party faction in the
National Assembly, said the Russian officials considered Armenia a
non-independent state for quite a long time.
"While they used to call us a forepost, they have progressed now,
naming us an exclave," he explained.