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Aravot newspaper, Armenia
Oct 10 & 11 2013
Russian official mulls Armenia's membership of Customs Union, raps EU
[Translated from Armenian]
The Armenian Aravot newspaper published in its two consecutive issues
on 10 and 11 October an interview with the Russian president's advisor
on regional economic integration within the framework of the Customs
Union and the common economic area Sergey Glazyev, who commented in
more detail on Armenia's joining the Russian-led Customs Union.
Commenting on the economic effects of Armenia's membership of the
Customs Union, Glazyev admitted that they will be limited, but noted
that Armenia might be interested in cheaper prices of energy resources
offered by the union.
"Most experts agree that, yes, Armenia might be part of the Customs
Union, but one cannot expect much economic effect from it," Russian
official said adding: "The common economic area enables to receive gas
at the prices of the internal market in the Customs Union. That means
that Armenia will have guaranteed stable and cheap gas resources".
Speaking on the transit of energy resources, he said that improved
relations with Georgia would also provide "better prospects" on the
way of "solving a number of problems in the Caucasus".
Glazyev also flayed the EU policy towards Armenia, putting it in the
context of other Eastern Partnership countries. "Armenia was offered
to become a 'carriage' of the EU's train on discriminatory conditions,
like in case of Ukraine," he said.
Glazyev also said that Armenia had to take the decision to join the
Customs Union to "maintain its independence". "In fact, it was not us
who pushed Armenia to take the decision on joining the Customs Union,
but the European Union with its stubborn determination to deprive
Armenia of its sovereignty," he said, adding: "In order to maintain
its independence and balanced relations with Russia, the Armenian
president had to take an appropriate political decision under that
kind of pressure".
Reminded that Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan held a different
opinion on the Customs Union, considering it as detrimental to
Armenia's national interest, Glazyev reprimanded Sargsyan for not
having thoroughly read the text of the association agreement with the
EU. "With all due respect towards the Armenian prime minister, I would
like to advise him to read more attentively the agreement that he
wanted to sign with the EU," he said.
Asked on prospects of setting customs checkpoints on the border with
Armenian-populated Azerbaijan's breakaway Nagornyy Karabakh after
Armenia's joining the Customs Union, the Russian official said that
that there would be no checkpoints. "I think the status will remain
the same there. Are there any customs checkpoints there or not? If
there are no such checkpoints on the Armenia-Nagornyy Karabakh border,
they will not be there. It is a domestic issue of Armenia," he said.
Oct 10 & 11 2013
Russian official mulls Armenia's membership of Customs Union, raps EU
[Translated from Armenian]
The Armenian Aravot newspaper published in its two consecutive issues
on 10 and 11 October an interview with the Russian president's advisor
on regional economic integration within the framework of the Customs
Union and the common economic area Sergey Glazyev, who commented in
more detail on Armenia's joining the Russian-led Customs Union.
Commenting on the economic effects of Armenia's membership of the
Customs Union, Glazyev admitted that they will be limited, but noted
that Armenia might be interested in cheaper prices of energy resources
offered by the union.
"Most experts agree that, yes, Armenia might be part of the Customs
Union, but one cannot expect much economic effect from it," Russian
official said adding: "The common economic area enables to receive gas
at the prices of the internal market in the Customs Union. That means
that Armenia will have guaranteed stable and cheap gas resources".
Speaking on the transit of energy resources, he said that improved
relations with Georgia would also provide "better prospects" on the
way of "solving a number of problems in the Caucasus".
Glazyev also flayed the EU policy towards Armenia, putting it in the
context of other Eastern Partnership countries. "Armenia was offered
to become a 'carriage' of the EU's train on discriminatory conditions,
like in case of Ukraine," he said.
Glazyev also said that Armenia had to take the decision to join the
Customs Union to "maintain its independence". "In fact, it was not us
who pushed Armenia to take the decision on joining the Customs Union,
but the European Union with its stubborn determination to deprive
Armenia of its sovereignty," he said, adding: "In order to maintain
its independence and balanced relations with Russia, the Armenian
president had to take an appropriate political decision under that
kind of pressure".
Reminded that Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan held a different
opinion on the Customs Union, considering it as detrimental to
Armenia's national interest, Glazyev reprimanded Sargsyan for not
having thoroughly read the text of the association agreement with the
EU. "With all due respect towards the Armenian prime minister, I would
like to advise him to read more attentively the agreement that he
wanted to sign with the EU," he said.
Asked on prospects of setting customs checkpoints on the border with
Armenian-populated Azerbaijan's breakaway Nagornyy Karabakh after
Armenia's joining the Customs Union, the Russian official said that
that there would be no checkpoints. "I think the status will remain
the same there. Are there any customs checkpoints there or not? If
there are no such checkpoints on the Armenia-Nagornyy Karabakh border,
they will not be there. It is a domestic issue of Armenia," he said.