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EURASIAN PROJECT FOR ARMENIA: A VIEW FROM MOSCOW
28 January 2013 - 9:38am
Author: VK
Speaking about the prospects of Armenia joining the Eurasian Union,
experts have expressed differing views - from the fact that through
the EAC Yerevan will solve many problems to the point that this
kind of integration is not possible in principle. Meanwhile, most
constructively minded Russian analysts are rather inclined to the
first option.
According to Vladimir Lepekhin, director of the Eurasian Economic
Community Institute, "the idea of Eurasian integration has many
opponents, including abroad. The Russian leadership has often said
that the process of integration so far applies only to the economy,
the economies of post-Soviet countries, they have historically been
a single organism and therefore we are not talking about how to make
this integration move into politics, some geopolitical issues. If
you view the existing trend, the trade turnover, it is possible,
based on these figures, to say that, yes, Armenia still has a large
share of its trade with the European Union, more than 50% to 60%,
and about 40% with the countries of the single economic space with
the countries of the former Soviet Union. On the other hand, in this
share, which is trade with the countries of the former Soviet Union,
Russia's share is about 95%.
That is, in any case, Russia is the main trading partner of Armenia".
According to his forecasts, bilateral trade can increase quite
significantly and economic cooperation can gain momentum for
development, and this requires a shift from discussion or dialogue
about prospects to real action: "Russia and Armenia can simply
run several development projects, 3 or 4 large projects in Armenia
with Russian capital, and the economic benefit of our cooperation
will immediately become obvious. Also, we need to bear in mind, and
everyone knows, that Russia and Armenia have historically been quite
close culturally. From the point of view of some geopolitical issues,
Armenia has always regarded Russia as a key partner and ally. We
clearly understand what the problems in Armenia today are. Russia has
always been on the side of Armenia, no matter what the question was -
I mean diplomatic or geopolitical. Another thing is that, given the
complexity of the region and of the relationships that are developing
between Armenia and Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Georgia, and so on, Russia cannot, on some questions, be firm enough
to claim its pro-Armenian position. But the prospects are clear".
Lepekhin says that "speaking about imports of Russian goods to Armenia,
exports goods amounting to about more than 600 million rubles, while
exports to Russia from the Armenian side are about more than 200
million. Compare this to Turkey: goods amounting to 100-120 million
are imported to Armenia, but exports from Armenia to Turkey amount
to only 10 million. That is, almost no Armenian goods are sold in
Turkey. Turkey hampers this flow, or Armenia has nothing to supply
there. A significant part of the import of the products of Armenia to
the Russian Federation is agricultural products. This is true not only
for Armenia. For example, Moldova's economy is supported by two things:
first - a lot of people from Moldova, and also from Armenia, travel
to Russia to work, and the money sent to Armenia is $10 billion; the
second thing is the agricultural production economy. From my point of
view, Russia is a huge market for Armenia. We know perfectly well what
goods are produced in Armenia, the food industry is developing, there
is wonderful ecological food there. This is a promising direction. If
this direction is reinforced by joint agreements, efforts, investments,
from Russia in the first place, and Russia gives the green light to
Armenia in terms of exports of alcoholic beverages, meat and so on,
Armenia can expect steady and rapid economic growth".
Lepekhin mentioned three key areas of cooperation, in terms of
agricultural production: alcohol market, meat production, and
agro-tourism.
Speaking about the possibility of the formation of a common ideology
and value system, Alexei Vlasov, editor-in-chief of VK, executive
director of the Center for Political Studies "North-South", said that
"the construction of a new ideology, a new value orientation, should be
done not from the top down but from the bottom up. Certainly, expecting
the political elites to offer a new ideology of equal importance for
Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus and the countries that will be included
in the future in the field of integration is meaningless.
Therefore, only by increasing communication between the civil societies
of the countries that will participate in the Eurasian space may we
reach new motives, new value systems for our development. Why do we
talk of the Russian language in the South Caucasus and Central Asia
so often, not only in Armenia? Because it is a universal means of
communication. This is the first principle, which still keeps us in
the general socio-cultural and humanitarian field. We calmly deal
with you, we understand each other, and some aspects related to our
views and ideological position are also formed from our common past,
from the fact that we are literally and figuratively speaking the
same language. This is so. Therefore, no matter how we argue, no
matter what we discuss, we still understand each other".
According to Vlasov, "communication must be carried out not only
between prime ministers and presidents, but also representatives of
the educational, cultural, expert and scientific fields. We need a
format that would allow us to hold these repeated meetings and make
such exchanges, adjusting positions on a permanent basis, as I said,
at the level of human, social, cultural and expert communications.
There is a format of the Club "Eurasian Eight." This is one of the
formats, let's see, maybe it will be interesting. But as I said, the
formation of a new worldview is not only reading the works by Vernadsky
or Gumilev (some of our colleagues are addicted to it). From my point
of view, I stress once again the principled position that, in addition
to the general history, in addition to the holiday on May 9, the day of
the Great Victory, we should face the future and should form the new
generation, which does not have the experience of the Soviet period,
like the older and middle generation in Russia and countries of the
South Caucasus; for them, first of all, for you we have to create
new motivations, new value systems. If together we will solve this
problem, the question of whether anyone can stop the Eurasian project
will disappear by itself. If the project has broad public support, it
is strong, stable and sustainable. Through our constant communication
we will form the very basis of social support of the Eurasian project".
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/articles/economy/36316.html
28 January 2013 - 9:38am
Author: VK
Speaking about the prospects of Armenia joining the Eurasian Union,
experts have expressed differing views - from the fact that through
the EAC Yerevan will solve many problems to the point that this
kind of integration is not possible in principle. Meanwhile, most
constructively minded Russian analysts are rather inclined to the
first option.
According to Vladimir Lepekhin, director of the Eurasian Economic
Community Institute, "the idea of Eurasian integration has many
opponents, including abroad. The Russian leadership has often said
that the process of integration so far applies only to the economy,
the economies of post-Soviet countries, they have historically been
a single organism and therefore we are not talking about how to make
this integration move into politics, some geopolitical issues. If
you view the existing trend, the trade turnover, it is possible,
based on these figures, to say that, yes, Armenia still has a large
share of its trade with the European Union, more than 50% to 60%,
and about 40% with the countries of the single economic space with
the countries of the former Soviet Union. On the other hand, in this
share, which is trade with the countries of the former Soviet Union,
Russia's share is about 95%.
That is, in any case, Russia is the main trading partner of Armenia".
According to his forecasts, bilateral trade can increase quite
significantly and economic cooperation can gain momentum for
development, and this requires a shift from discussion or dialogue
about prospects to real action: "Russia and Armenia can simply
run several development projects, 3 or 4 large projects in Armenia
with Russian capital, and the economic benefit of our cooperation
will immediately become obvious. Also, we need to bear in mind, and
everyone knows, that Russia and Armenia have historically been quite
close culturally. From the point of view of some geopolitical issues,
Armenia has always regarded Russia as a key partner and ally. We
clearly understand what the problems in Armenia today are. Russia has
always been on the side of Armenia, no matter what the question was -
I mean diplomatic or geopolitical. Another thing is that, given the
complexity of the region and of the relationships that are developing
between Armenia and Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Georgia, and so on, Russia cannot, on some questions, be firm enough
to claim its pro-Armenian position. But the prospects are clear".
Lepekhin says that "speaking about imports of Russian goods to Armenia,
exports goods amounting to about more than 600 million rubles, while
exports to Russia from the Armenian side are about more than 200
million. Compare this to Turkey: goods amounting to 100-120 million
are imported to Armenia, but exports from Armenia to Turkey amount
to only 10 million. That is, almost no Armenian goods are sold in
Turkey. Turkey hampers this flow, or Armenia has nothing to supply
there. A significant part of the import of the products of Armenia to
the Russian Federation is agricultural products. This is true not only
for Armenia. For example, Moldova's economy is supported by two things:
first - a lot of people from Moldova, and also from Armenia, travel
to Russia to work, and the money sent to Armenia is $10 billion; the
second thing is the agricultural production economy. From my point of
view, Russia is a huge market for Armenia. We know perfectly well what
goods are produced in Armenia, the food industry is developing, there
is wonderful ecological food there. This is a promising direction. If
this direction is reinforced by joint agreements, efforts, investments,
from Russia in the first place, and Russia gives the green light to
Armenia in terms of exports of alcoholic beverages, meat and so on,
Armenia can expect steady and rapid economic growth".
Lepekhin mentioned three key areas of cooperation, in terms of
agricultural production: alcohol market, meat production, and
agro-tourism.
Speaking about the possibility of the formation of a common ideology
and value system, Alexei Vlasov, editor-in-chief of VK, executive
director of the Center for Political Studies "North-South", said that
"the construction of a new ideology, a new value orientation, should be
done not from the top down but from the bottom up. Certainly, expecting
the political elites to offer a new ideology of equal importance for
Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus and the countries that will be included
in the future in the field of integration is meaningless.
Therefore, only by increasing communication between the civil societies
of the countries that will participate in the Eurasian space may we
reach new motives, new value systems for our development. Why do we
talk of the Russian language in the South Caucasus and Central Asia
so often, not only in Armenia? Because it is a universal means of
communication. This is the first principle, which still keeps us in
the general socio-cultural and humanitarian field. We calmly deal
with you, we understand each other, and some aspects related to our
views and ideological position are also formed from our common past,
from the fact that we are literally and figuratively speaking the
same language. This is so. Therefore, no matter how we argue, no
matter what we discuss, we still understand each other".
According to Vlasov, "communication must be carried out not only
between prime ministers and presidents, but also representatives of
the educational, cultural, expert and scientific fields. We need a
format that would allow us to hold these repeated meetings and make
such exchanges, adjusting positions on a permanent basis, as I said,
at the level of human, social, cultural and expert communications.
There is a format of the Club "Eurasian Eight." This is one of the
formats, let's see, maybe it will be interesting. But as I said, the
formation of a new worldview is not only reading the works by Vernadsky
or Gumilev (some of our colleagues are addicted to it). From my point
of view, I stress once again the principled position that, in addition
to the general history, in addition to the holiday on May 9, the day of
the Great Victory, we should face the future and should form the new
generation, which does not have the experience of the Soviet period,
like the older and middle generation in Russia and countries of the
South Caucasus; for them, first of all, for you we have to create
new motivations, new value systems. If together we will solve this
problem, the question of whether anyone can stop the Eurasian project
will disappear by itself. If the project has broad public support, it
is strong, stable and sustainable. Through our constant communication
we will form the very basis of social support of the Eurasian project".
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/articles/economy/36316.html