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Did Sarkisian Skip the Custom Union Summit Because of Kazakhstan?
http://asbarez.com/122424/did-sarkisian-skip-the-custom-union-summit-because-of-kazakhstan/
Tuesday, April 29th, 2014
From right: Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Belarusian
President Alexander Lukashenko, and Russian President Vladimir Putin
in Minsk, Belarus. Oct. 25, 2013. (Photo: ITAR-TASS)
YEREVAN - President Serzh Sarkisian's absence from a summit of leaders
from Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan taking place in the Belarus
capital of Minsk and was expected to complete Armenia's membership in
the Custom Union has raised questions, with various government
agencies merely reaffirming Armenia's commitment to join the
Russia-led union.
While presidential spokesperson Armand Saghatelyan made a vague
statement confirming that Sarkisian was in Yerevan, the Moscow-based
Regnum news agency, citing sources at the Armenian presidential
office, reported that Sarkisian did not attend the summit because of
Kazakhstan's position on Nagorno-Karabakh.
In December, Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev raised questions
about Armenia's membership in the Custom Union calling into question
the definition of its border and whether the envisioned membership
also included the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
`The `road map' on Armenia has generally been agreed. I think we can
adopt it. However, the question of the border of the Customs Union and
where it will cross in Armenia in connection with the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict remains open. Therefore, we will sign the `road map' together
with colleagues, but with the dissenting opinion, which will be
reported on,' Nazarbayev said at the time, saying that Azerbaijan
should have a say in Armenia's membership.
This unresolved issue, as well as what sources identified to Regnum as
unresolved issues between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan could be
prompting Armenia to not attend the summit.
Last week, Armenia's outgoing economy minister Vahram Avanesyan,
signaled that Armenia may wait until the three countries sign a
Eurasian Union trade agreement, at which time Armenia will join that
bloc rather than the Customs Union.
Asked about the reason for the no-show, Foreign Ministry spokesman
Tigran Balayan said only that the leaders of the Customs Union's three
member states will be briefed by the head of the trade bloc's
executive body on the implementation of a `roadmap' to Armenia's
membership. Balayan did not comment further, reported RFE/RL.
From: A. Papazian
http://asbarez.com/122424/did-sarkisian-skip-the-custom-union-summit-because-of-kazakhstan/
Tuesday, April 29th, 2014
From right: Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Belarusian
President Alexander Lukashenko, and Russian President Vladimir Putin
in Minsk, Belarus. Oct. 25, 2013. (Photo: ITAR-TASS)
YEREVAN - President Serzh Sarkisian's absence from a summit of leaders
from Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan taking place in the Belarus
capital of Minsk and was expected to complete Armenia's membership in
the Custom Union has raised questions, with various government
agencies merely reaffirming Armenia's commitment to join the
Russia-led union.
While presidential spokesperson Armand Saghatelyan made a vague
statement confirming that Sarkisian was in Yerevan, the Moscow-based
Regnum news agency, citing sources at the Armenian presidential
office, reported that Sarkisian did not attend the summit because of
Kazakhstan's position on Nagorno-Karabakh.
In December, Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev raised questions
about Armenia's membership in the Custom Union calling into question
the definition of its border and whether the envisioned membership
also included the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
`The `road map' on Armenia has generally been agreed. I think we can
adopt it. However, the question of the border of the Customs Union and
where it will cross in Armenia in connection with the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict remains open. Therefore, we will sign the `road map' together
with colleagues, but with the dissenting opinion, which will be
reported on,' Nazarbayev said at the time, saying that Azerbaijan
should have a say in Armenia's membership.
This unresolved issue, as well as what sources identified to Regnum as
unresolved issues between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan could be
prompting Armenia to not attend the summit.
Last week, Armenia's outgoing economy minister Vahram Avanesyan,
signaled that Armenia may wait until the three countries sign a
Eurasian Union trade agreement, at which time Armenia will join that
bloc rather than the Customs Union.
Asked about the reason for the no-show, Foreign Ministry spokesman
Tigran Balayan said only that the leaders of the Customs Union's three
member states will be briefed by the head of the trade bloc's
executive body on the implementation of a `roadmap' to Armenia's
membership. Balayan did not comment further, reported RFE/RL.
From: A. Papazian