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ARMENIA MAY JOIN CUSTOMS UNION, EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION
ITAR-TASS
July 12, 2012 Thursday 07:04 AM GMT+4
Russia
Armenia may join the Customs Union and the Eurasian Economic Union,
Russian Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko said
after a meeting with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.
"They asked for 'road maps'," Matviyenko said, adding that in
Sargsyan's words, Armenia does not rule out participation in other
European bodies as well.
In the autumn, the Armenian parliament will debate ratification of
the CIS free trade zone agreement and the agreement on military bases
in the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation.
Sargsyan explained a delay in the consideration of these documents
by parliamentary elections that were held in Armenia on May 6. "Both
documents will be submitted for ratification in September," Matviyenko
said.
Matviyenko urged Armenia to speed up its accession to the CIS free
trade zone agreement.
This agreement "creates conditions for invigorated trade and economic
cooperation", Matviyenko said at a meeting with the chairman of the
National Assembly of Armenia, Ovik Abramyan, on Wednesday, July 11.
She also said that the agreement had been signed "subject to WTO
rules and therefore does not obstruct accession to the Organisation".
Abramyan assured her that this issue would be considered shortly.
Matviyenko also noted the issue of Eurasian integration. "We could
discuss this issue between the parliaments in order to find a way to
engage Armenia ion these processes harmoniously," she said.
Matviyenko stressed that Eurasian integration "does not contradict
European integration" and said that although Eurasian integration is
Russia's foreign policy priority, the European Union accounts for 50
percent of its foreign trade turnover.
The CIS free trade zone agreement was signed on October 18, 2011
in St. Petersburg by the heads of government from Russia, Ukraine,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Tajikistan, Moldova, and Kyrgyzstan.
Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan did not sign the document
but said they would join in.
The Eurasian Economic Community consists of Russia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Armenia is an observer.
The Supreme Eurasian Economic Council includes Russia, Belarus and
Kazakhstan.
A new comprehensive Eurasian Union treaty is expected to be signed
by January 1, 2015.
From: A. Papazian
ITAR-TASS
July 12, 2012 Thursday 07:04 AM GMT+4
Russia
Armenia may join the Customs Union and the Eurasian Economic Union,
Russian Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko said
after a meeting with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.
"They asked for 'road maps'," Matviyenko said, adding that in
Sargsyan's words, Armenia does not rule out participation in other
European bodies as well.
In the autumn, the Armenian parliament will debate ratification of
the CIS free trade zone agreement and the agreement on military bases
in the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation.
Sargsyan explained a delay in the consideration of these documents
by parliamentary elections that were held in Armenia on May 6. "Both
documents will be submitted for ratification in September," Matviyenko
said.
Matviyenko urged Armenia to speed up its accession to the CIS free
trade zone agreement.
This agreement "creates conditions for invigorated trade and economic
cooperation", Matviyenko said at a meeting with the chairman of the
National Assembly of Armenia, Ovik Abramyan, on Wednesday, July 11.
She also said that the agreement had been signed "subject to WTO
rules and therefore does not obstruct accession to the Organisation".
Abramyan assured her that this issue would be considered shortly.
Matviyenko also noted the issue of Eurasian integration. "We could
discuss this issue between the parliaments in order to find a way to
engage Armenia ion these processes harmoniously," she said.
Matviyenko stressed that Eurasian integration "does not contradict
European integration" and said that although Eurasian integration is
Russia's foreign policy priority, the European Union accounts for 50
percent of its foreign trade turnover.
The CIS free trade zone agreement was signed on October 18, 2011
in St. Petersburg by the heads of government from Russia, Ukraine,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Tajikistan, Moldova, and Kyrgyzstan.
Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan did not sign the document
but said they would join in.
The Eurasian Economic Community consists of Russia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Armenia is an observer.
The Supreme Eurasian Economic Council includes Russia, Belarus and
Kazakhstan.
A new comprehensive Eurasian Union treaty is expected to be signed
by January 1, 2015.
From: A. Papazian