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IF ARMENIA NEGOTIATES WITH WTO, RUSSIA MUST DO THE SAME - OPINIONS
20:59 * 24.06.14
If Armenia has to start negotiations for compensation with the World
Trade Organization (WTO) after joining the Eurasian Economic Union,
Russia should do the same, economic Tatul Manaseryan told Tert.am.
Both the states, as members of the Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS), should harmonize the rules of the game.
"If such a problem exists, Armenia must not be alone. If membership in
the Eurasian Economic Union requires such rules of the game, work is
necessary with both the states, without any restrictions on Armenia,"
Mr Manaseryan said.
According to www.azatutyun.am, First Vice-Premier of Russia
Igor Shuvalov stated that Armenia has to start negotiations for
compensations with the WTO if it successfully joins the Eurasian
Economic Union.
As to whether it could be an artificial barrier to Armenia's accession
to the Eurasian Economic Union, Mr Manaseryan said:
"If Armenia turns out the only one that needs to negotiate, we can
understand it. The rules of the game must apply not only to Armenia,
but also to Russia. If Russia has already conducted negotiations,
that is quite another matter. However, if it is only Armenia that has
to meet this requirement, the issue needs studying more thoroughly."
As to possible problems if Armenia resigns its WTO membership, Mr
Manaseryan said that none of the around 200 WTO members has so far
resigned its membership.
"Their membership was not suspended even after repeated violations of
the rules of the game. The WTO prefers resolving problems to creating
them. Armenia has been consistent in meeting all the requirements. Nor
can the issue of 'either...or' be raised because it would run counter
to high international standards. Moreover, the other Eurasian Economic
Union member-states have WTO membership problems."
Economist Vardan Bostanjyan considers absurd the possibility of
Armenia's negotiating with the WTO.
"Armenia has been a WTO member for more than ten years and has met all
the requirements. In fact, there is no problem of negotiations. Russia
is just offering Armenia to be expelled from the WTO and join the
Eurasian Economic Union as a humble servant.
But, to put it mildly, they say Armenia has to negotiate. But this
is absurd."
Armenia should initially have been able to conduct itself in such a
way that would have prevented it finding itself in such a situation.
"The process of Armenia's accession to the Eurasian Economic Union has
reached a stage when they can play with us the game they have played.
They are humiliating us so that they can do to Armenia whatever they
want," Mr Bostanjyan said.
Armenian News - Tert.am
20:59 * 24.06.14
If Armenia has to start negotiations for compensation with the World
Trade Organization (WTO) after joining the Eurasian Economic Union,
Russia should do the same, economic Tatul Manaseryan told Tert.am.
Both the states, as members of the Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS), should harmonize the rules of the game.
"If such a problem exists, Armenia must not be alone. If membership in
the Eurasian Economic Union requires such rules of the game, work is
necessary with both the states, without any restrictions on Armenia,"
Mr Manaseryan said.
According to www.azatutyun.am, First Vice-Premier of Russia
Igor Shuvalov stated that Armenia has to start negotiations for
compensations with the WTO if it successfully joins the Eurasian
Economic Union.
As to whether it could be an artificial barrier to Armenia's accession
to the Eurasian Economic Union, Mr Manaseryan said:
"If Armenia turns out the only one that needs to negotiate, we can
understand it. The rules of the game must apply not only to Armenia,
but also to Russia. If Russia has already conducted negotiations,
that is quite another matter. However, if it is only Armenia that has
to meet this requirement, the issue needs studying more thoroughly."
As to possible problems if Armenia resigns its WTO membership, Mr
Manaseryan said that none of the around 200 WTO members has so far
resigned its membership.
"Their membership was not suspended even after repeated violations of
the rules of the game. The WTO prefers resolving problems to creating
them. Armenia has been consistent in meeting all the requirements. Nor
can the issue of 'either...or' be raised because it would run counter
to high international standards. Moreover, the other Eurasian Economic
Union member-states have WTO membership problems."
Economist Vardan Bostanjyan considers absurd the possibility of
Armenia's negotiating with the WTO.
"Armenia has been a WTO member for more than ten years and has met all
the requirements. In fact, there is no problem of negotiations. Russia
is just offering Armenia to be expelled from the WTO and join the
Eurasian Economic Union as a humble servant.
But, to put it mildly, they say Armenia has to negotiate. But this
is absurd."
Armenia should initially have been able to conduct itself in such a
way that would have prevented it finding itself in such a situation.
"The process of Armenia's accession to the Eurasian Economic Union has
reached a stage when they can play with us the game they have played.
They are humiliating us so that they can do to Armenia whatever they
want," Mr Bostanjyan said.
Armenian News - Tert.am