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EU V EURASEC: DISCUSSION IN YEREVAN FOCUSES ON KEY GEOPOLITICAL CHOICE FOR ARMENIA
NEWS | 15.03.13 | 15:40
Photo: MediaCenter
Tigran Urikhanyan (left), Sergey Minasyan By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
President Serzh Sargsyan's visits to Moscow and Brussels after
his reelection last month have again activated discussions around
the possible geopolitical choice of Armenia that many believe will
be between the European Union and integration among former Soviet
republics spearheaded by Russia.
Experts had expected that during the March 12 meeting between Sargsyan
and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow the sides would
again discuss Armenia's membership in the Customs Union (an economic
integration project now including Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan)
and that the Russian leader would seek a final answer from Armenia on
that account. But after their meeting the two presidents said nothing
publicly about the issue, again leaving room for assumptions that
Sargsyan managed to postpone the discussion of this key geopolitical
issue.
Deputy Director of the Yerevan-based Caucasus Institute Sergey Minasyan
says that Putin's Eurasian Union (or Eurasian Economic Community,
EurAsEC) still remains an idea, while only the Customs Union has a
practical significance for Armenia.
"It is clear to Moscow that Armenia's participation in any format
is possible only when Armenia's rather specific geographical and
geopolitical situation is taken into account. Without having a common
border with any of the Customs Union member countries, Armenia cannot
have the same format and level of cooperation that Belarus, Kazakhstan
or Ukraine could. And we understand that Ukraine's participation in
the Customs Union is one of the key issues and is more significant
for Russia, while Armenia's participation in this structure has a
secondary importance," said Minasyan during a discussion organized
in Yerevan on Thursday.
Nevertheless, Minasyan believes that if political issues are set
aside, economically participating in the Customs Union could be seen
as beneficial for Armenia.
"Economically I see no problem. For Armenia Russia is quite a
significant economic partner, and in this sense if some solution is
found in the economic field, I think it will not create any problems
for Armenia security-wise," said the analyst.
While European Union representatives acknowledge that Armenia is a
sovereign state and is free to enter into any agreements, they also
warn against agreements like the Customs Union. Late last year, for
example, Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief
Catherine Ashton, warned that if Armenia joins the Customs Union, it
would be incompatible with the planned Deep and Comprehensive Free
Trade Agreement between Armenia and the European Union. "Because a
customs union has a common external trade policy and an individual
member country no longer has sovereign control over its external
trade policies," Kocijancic explained.
Tigran Urikhanyan, a spokesman for the Prosperous Armenia Party
(PAP) that has repeatedly spoken in favor of Armenia's participation
in post-Soviet integration processes, also stresses that the issue
of the Eurasian Union is still at the stage of discussions, and
one should first wait to see if it becomes a reality. Before that,
Urikhanyan suggests that Armenia get engaged in relevant discussions.
"We are enabled to participate in discussions, especially that
there is still no word about any interstate union and it is purely
an integration process. Our participation in such processes is an
opportunity to present the country's interest, another platform for
negotiations to discuss and raise issues of concern to us," stressed
the PAP representative.
NEWS | 15.03.13 | 15:40
Photo: MediaCenter
Tigran Urikhanyan (left), Sergey Minasyan By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
President Serzh Sargsyan's visits to Moscow and Brussels after
his reelection last month have again activated discussions around
the possible geopolitical choice of Armenia that many believe will
be between the European Union and integration among former Soviet
republics spearheaded by Russia.
Experts had expected that during the March 12 meeting between Sargsyan
and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow the sides would
again discuss Armenia's membership in the Customs Union (an economic
integration project now including Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan)
and that the Russian leader would seek a final answer from Armenia on
that account. But after their meeting the two presidents said nothing
publicly about the issue, again leaving room for assumptions that
Sargsyan managed to postpone the discussion of this key geopolitical
issue.
Deputy Director of the Yerevan-based Caucasus Institute Sergey Minasyan
says that Putin's Eurasian Union (or Eurasian Economic Community,
EurAsEC) still remains an idea, while only the Customs Union has a
practical significance for Armenia.
"It is clear to Moscow that Armenia's participation in any format
is possible only when Armenia's rather specific geographical and
geopolitical situation is taken into account. Without having a common
border with any of the Customs Union member countries, Armenia cannot
have the same format and level of cooperation that Belarus, Kazakhstan
or Ukraine could. And we understand that Ukraine's participation in
the Customs Union is one of the key issues and is more significant
for Russia, while Armenia's participation in this structure has a
secondary importance," said Minasyan during a discussion organized
in Yerevan on Thursday.
Nevertheless, Minasyan believes that if political issues are set
aside, economically participating in the Customs Union could be seen
as beneficial for Armenia.
"Economically I see no problem. For Armenia Russia is quite a
significant economic partner, and in this sense if some solution is
found in the economic field, I think it will not create any problems
for Armenia security-wise," said the analyst.
While European Union representatives acknowledge that Armenia is a
sovereign state and is free to enter into any agreements, they also
warn against agreements like the Customs Union. Late last year, for
example, Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief
Catherine Ashton, warned that if Armenia joins the Customs Union, it
would be incompatible with the planned Deep and Comprehensive Free
Trade Agreement between Armenia and the European Union. "Because a
customs union has a common external trade policy and an individual
member country no longer has sovereign control over its external
trade policies," Kocijancic explained.
Tigran Urikhanyan, a spokesman for the Prosperous Armenia Party
(PAP) that has repeatedly spoken in favor of Armenia's participation
in post-Soviet integration processes, also stresses that the issue
of the Eurasian Union is still at the stage of discussions, and
one should first wait to see if it becomes a reality. Before that,
Urikhanyan suggests that Armenia get engaged in relevant discussions.
"We are enabled to participate in discussions, especially that
there is still no word about any interstate union and it is purely
an integration process. Our participation in such processes is an
opportunity to present the country's interest, another platform for
negotiations to discuss and raise issues of concern to us," stressed
the PAP representative.