EXPERT: ARMENIA'S ACCESSION TO CUSTOMS UNION IS LOGICAL STEP TOWARD INTEGRATION
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/731993/expert-armenia%E2%80%99s-accession-to-customs-union-is-logical-step-toward-integration.html
15:32, 6 September, 2013
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS: Armenia's accession to the Customs
Union would be quite a logical step toward integration, Professor
Galina Shmarlovskaya, PhD in Economics, Dean of the International
Economic Relations Department of the Belarusian State Economic
University, as reports Armenpress citing to BelTA, said as she
commented on Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's statement concerning
the country's intention to accede to the Customs Union and take part
in further formation of the Eurasian Economic Union.
According to Galina Shmarlovskaya, the dissolution of the USSR led
to the disruption of ties between the former USSR republics and
triggered many economic and social problems. This necessitated the
adjustment of the countries' specialization and the search for their
place in global economy. In recent years Armenia has been seeking to
expand international cooperation. The country has recently signed
a memorandum on the cooperation model with the Customs Union and
discussed cooperation within the Eurasian Economic Commission. To
materialize its plans Armenia needs to join the CIS free trade
zone, which was created in line with the agreement signed in 2011
and approved by eight CIS countries out of eleven: Belarus, Russia,
Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Moldova. "So,
Armenia's accession to the Customs Union is quite a logical step toward
further integration. This will entail more intensive interregional
cooperation in the form of trade, international industrial ties,
investments and cooperation in R&D," Galina Shmarlovskaya said.
The professor also commented on the information in the media about
Armenia's intention to sign a free trade zone agreement with the
European Union. After Serzh Sargsyan made a statement concerning
the country's intention to join the Customs Union, the EU made it
clear that Armenia would not be able to accede to the EU free trade
zone. "In this case we can refer to international experience. In
today's world there are large-scale projects where free trade zones
are established not only between particular states but between entire
international integration groups. In the future the free trade zone
may be established between the Customs Union and the EU, so if Armenia
joins the Customs Union it will in any event become part of the free
trade zone," Galina Shmarlovskaya said.
According to Galina Shmarlovskaya, the accession of new states to the
Customs Union will be a positive factor: the Single Economic Space
is being formed, its member countries will get the opportunity to
penetrate bigger markets, while manufacturers will be able to sell
products taking into account consumer demand in these countries, which
will, of course, open additional opportunities for the development
of joint entrepreneurship and will encourage investments, including
the FDI.
"In the future all CIS counties will get closer to the Customs Union,"
Galina Shmarlovskaya is convinced.
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/731993/expert-armenia%E2%80%99s-accession-to-customs-union-is-logical-step-toward-integration.html
15:32, 6 September, 2013
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS: Armenia's accession to the Customs
Union would be quite a logical step toward integration, Professor
Galina Shmarlovskaya, PhD in Economics, Dean of the International
Economic Relations Department of the Belarusian State Economic
University, as reports Armenpress citing to BelTA, said as she
commented on Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's statement concerning
the country's intention to accede to the Customs Union and take part
in further formation of the Eurasian Economic Union.
According to Galina Shmarlovskaya, the dissolution of the USSR led
to the disruption of ties between the former USSR republics and
triggered many economic and social problems. This necessitated the
adjustment of the countries' specialization and the search for their
place in global economy. In recent years Armenia has been seeking to
expand international cooperation. The country has recently signed
a memorandum on the cooperation model with the Customs Union and
discussed cooperation within the Eurasian Economic Commission. To
materialize its plans Armenia needs to join the CIS free trade
zone, which was created in line with the agreement signed in 2011
and approved by eight CIS countries out of eleven: Belarus, Russia,
Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Moldova. "So,
Armenia's accession to the Customs Union is quite a logical step toward
further integration. This will entail more intensive interregional
cooperation in the form of trade, international industrial ties,
investments and cooperation in R&D," Galina Shmarlovskaya said.
The professor also commented on the information in the media about
Armenia's intention to sign a free trade zone agreement with the
European Union. After Serzh Sargsyan made a statement concerning
the country's intention to join the Customs Union, the EU made it
clear that Armenia would not be able to accede to the EU free trade
zone. "In this case we can refer to international experience. In
today's world there are large-scale projects where free trade zones
are established not only between particular states but between entire
international integration groups. In the future the free trade zone
may be established between the Customs Union and the EU, so if Armenia
joins the Customs Union it will in any event become part of the free
trade zone," Galina Shmarlovskaya said.
According to Galina Shmarlovskaya, the accession of new states to the
Customs Union will be a positive factor: the Single Economic Space
is being formed, its member countries will get the opportunity to
penetrate bigger markets, while manufacturers will be able to sell
products taking into account consumer demand in these countries, which
will, of course, open additional opportunities for the development
of joint entrepreneurship and will encourage investments, including
the FDI.
"In the future all CIS counties will get closer to the Customs Union,"
Galina Shmarlovskaya is convinced.