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ARMENIA'S DECISION TO JOIN THE CU WILL IMPROVE RUSSIA'S POSITION IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Sept 25 2013
25 September 2013 - 10:12am
By Vestnik Kavkaza
Three weeks ago Armenia expressed its desire to join the Customs
Union. However, an official agreement of member-states is needed -
not only Russia, which stands for extension of the alliance, but
also Belarus and Kazakhstan. Astana and Minsk took the appearance of
a new member of the CU kindly, but some Belarusian experts doubted
the sincerity of the statements.
Nevertheless, Moscow says that Serge Sargsyan's statement on readiness
to join the CU and take part in the EU will be beneficial for everyone.
According to the former Russian ambassador to Armenia, Vyacheslav
Kovalenko, "from the beginning of the year when the work on the
association agreement between the EU and Armenia and the free trade
area agreement stepped into a final stage, Western experts promised
that the point is in unification of standards of Armenian products
and its laws. And only in late August did European commissionaires and
diplomats in Yerevan and abroad make it clear that economic integration
and political association should go hand by hand, and that they were
an indispensible part of the association agreement. Stefan Fule stated
that the EU cannot divide these two important agreements.
Thus, it is clear that it is not only about a system of values,
a civilized development course, a struggle against corruption, and
elimination of monopolies, but also a geopolitical choice which is
imposed on Armenia."
Local elites, the government, some members of the president's team
wanted to follow the European development course, which would make
Armenia a part of the European family in the future. According to
Kovalenko, "it didn't answer the question: if geopolitical orientation
is changing, it is necessary to solve the problem of security; but no
alternative to Russian security support was found. The temptations and
doubts of the ruling elite were great. A principal talk with Yerevan
at the top level was needed; and it took place on September 3rd. The
result of the global competition between integration entities was
Armenia's decision to join the CU."
Kovalenko thinks that "Armenia's decision to join the CU will
improve Russia's position in the South Caucasus and in case of deeper
integration can influence the whole South Caucasus. From the point of
view of a geopolitical and geoeconomic worldview, Armenia's accession
can have an integrating effect in the post-Soviet state, which is much
greater than the size and economic potential of the country. Armenia's
accession to the CU within the Eurasian Economic Union will maintain
the internal balance between the Asian-Muslim factor, which will be
improved after Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan join the Eurasian Union and
the European Christian factor."
At the same time, Kovalenko believes that "along with rather successful
steps on holding Armenia within partnership with Russia, it is
important to extend the dialogue of nomenclatures. It is important
to work on promotion of the Eurasian project, explain to Armenian
citizens what they can gain from participation in Eurasian integration
projects. The ideological paradigm of relations should be corrected.
Along with improvement of friendship and brotherhood of people,
our glorious historic past, it is necessary to explain to Armenian
society why they need to integrate and what could happen if Armenia
separates from Russia."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Sept 25 2013
25 September 2013 - 10:12am
By Vestnik Kavkaza
Three weeks ago Armenia expressed its desire to join the Customs
Union. However, an official agreement of member-states is needed -
not only Russia, which stands for extension of the alliance, but
also Belarus and Kazakhstan. Astana and Minsk took the appearance of
a new member of the CU kindly, but some Belarusian experts doubted
the sincerity of the statements.
Nevertheless, Moscow says that Serge Sargsyan's statement on readiness
to join the CU and take part in the EU will be beneficial for everyone.
According to the former Russian ambassador to Armenia, Vyacheslav
Kovalenko, "from the beginning of the year when the work on the
association agreement between the EU and Armenia and the free trade
area agreement stepped into a final stage, Western experts promised
that the point is in unification of standards of Armenian products
and its laws. And only in late August did European commissionaires and
diplomats in Yerevan and abroad make it clear that economic integration
and political association should go hand by hand, and that they were
an indispensible part of the association agreement. Stefan Fule stated
that the EU cannot divide these two important agreements.
Thus, it is clear that it is not only about a system of values,
a civilized development course, a struggle against corruption, and
elimination of monopolies, but also a geopolitical choice which is
imposed on Armenia."
Local elites, the government, some members of the president's team
wanted to follow the European development course, which would make
Armenia a part of the European family in the future. According to
Kovalenko, "it didn't answer the question: if geopolitical orientation
is changing, it is necessary to solve the problem of security; but no
alternative to Russian security support was found. The temptations and
doubts of the ruling elite were great. A principal talk with Yerevan
at the top level was needed; and it took place on September 3rd. The
result of the global competition between integration entities was
Armenia's decision to join the CU."
Kovalenko thinks that "Armenia's decision to join the CU will
improve Russia's position in the South Caucasus and in case of deeper
integration can influence the whole South Caucasus. From the point of
view of a geopolitical and geoeconomic worldview, Armenia's accession
can have an integrating effect in the post-Soviet state, which is much
greater than the size and economic potential of the country. Armenia's
accession to the CU within the Eurasian Economic Union will maintain
the internal balance between the Asian-Muslim factor, which will be
improved after Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan join the Eurasian Union and
the European Christian factor."
At the same time, Kovalenko believes that "along with rather successful
steps on holding Armenia within partnership with Russia, it is
important to extend the dialogue of nomenclatures. It is important
to work on promotion of the Eurasian project, explain to Armenian
citizens what they can gain from participation in Eurasian integration
projects. The ideological paradigm of relations should be corrected.
Along with improvement of friendship and brotherhood of people,
our glorious historic past, it is necessary to explain to Armenian
society why they need to integrate and what could happen if Armenia
separates from Russia."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress