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EEU MEMBERSHIP DEBATE: ARMENIAN LAWMAKERS DISCUSS TREATY ON JOINING RUSSIA-LED TRADE BLOC
News | 25.11.14 | 11:39
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter
Despite much criticism against Armenia's decision on joining the
European Economic Union (EEU) the National Assembly parliamentary
hearings on the EEU agreement went on without heated discussions. The
Heritage faction was more active than others at the hearings.
Heritage faction MP Zaruhi Postanjyan said that the EEU is a political
agenda born to contrast the EU.
"Our membership will do no good to Armenia, because Russia has a big
problem in the North Caucasus immediately related to our security.
This country cannot be a reliable economic partner. There is an
obvious, screaming polarization between the oligarchs and the citizens
in this country. I do not even speak about millions of dubious affairs
of [Russian President Vladimir]Putin one of which was the Sochi Olympic
Games, when Russian citizens did not gain anything," Postanjyan said.
Free Democrats Party Chairman, NA MP Khachatur Kokobelyan said that
starting from January 2 the Armenian Customs Code will not function,
however until now it has never been clarified what the risks for
Armenia are, meaning the factor of Western sanctions imposed on Russia.
"There are many problems and we are taking an inadequate step in
today's developing world. Today the Russian ruble is falling and
if any businessman hoped to have 25-30 percent profit from this
membership, today it is impossible. Toward the New Year our wine and
brandy producers refuse to export products to Russia because it is
not clear where the Russian economy is going," Kokobelyan said.
Meanwhile Deputy Minister of Economy Emil Tarasyan said that for
752 units of goods the EEU taxes will not be applied for the first
five years, and for more than 500 - they will work the way they do
in Armenia today.
"It is yet too early to say definitely that in five years goods will or
will not get more expensive. Because Russia is conducting negotiations
with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and has an obligation to
lower the tariff. We expect some taxes to lower," Tarasyan said.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Shavarsh Kocharyan addressed
the peculiarities of the EEU-Armenia agreement, saying, "We are the
first to cross that road, there is no such prior experience, and it is
natural that more serious and diligent work is necessary. The EEU will
function only from January 1. The ratification has been completed in
all countries, and according to the May 29 agreement signed in Astana,
those countries will stop functioning as sovereign entities."
According to the Deputy Minister, starting from January 1, when Armenia
becomes an EEU member, its relations with Georgia and Iran will not
suffer. In the EEU Committee Armenia will have three members by 2016
and they will provide one vote.
"This means if two countries make a decision they cannot do anything
without Armenia's vote," Kocharyan said.
Kokobelyan, meanwhile, described the EEU agreement not an opportunity,
but rather a challenge for Armenia and the Armenian economy.
"The question here is how you imagine any international company
wanting to invest in a region where the future is in a mist... Here
the question is not about being for or against Russia, and that
approach is silly... Here the question is where we are going to,
what achievements we will have, what problems we will face," he said.
In response to the question on how Armenia can be a member of
a structure members of which are selling weapons to its military
archrival Azerbaijan, Deputy Foreign Minister Kocharyan answered: "The
EEU is not the platform where that is supposed to be discussed. The
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is another question
where Armenia is a member as well. We deal with an Economic Union
and such questions are easier to be discussed at other platforms."
http://armenianow.com/news/58737/armenia_parliament_eurasian_union_debate
News | 25.11.14 | 11:39
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter
Despite much criticism against Armenia's decision on joining the
European Economic Union (EEU) the National Assembly parliamentary
hearings on the EEU agreement went on without heated discussions. The
Heritage faction was more active than others at the hearings.
Heritage faction MP Zaruhi Postanjyan said that the EEU is a political
agenda born to contrast the EU.
"Our membership will do no good to Armenia, because Russia has a big
problem in the North Caucasus immediately related to our security.
This country cannot be a reliable economic partner. There is an
obvious, screaming polarization between the oligarchs and the citizens
in this country. I do not even speak about millions of dubious affairs
of [Russian President Vladimir]Putin one of which was the Sochi Olympic
Games, when Russian citizens did not gain anything," Postanjyan said.
Free Democrats Party Chairman, NA MP Khachatur Kokobelyan said that
starting from January 2 the Armenian Customs Code will not function,
however until now it has never been clarified what the risks for
Armenia are, meaning the factor of Western sanctions imposed on Russia.
"There are many problems and we are taking an inadequate step in
today's developing world. Today the Russian ruble is falling and
if any businessman hoped to have 25-30 percent profit from this
membership, today it is impossible. Toward the New Year our wine and
brandy producers refuse to export products to Russia because it is
not clear where the Russian economy is going," Kokobelyan said.
Meanwhile Deputy Minister of Economy Emil Tarasyan said that for
752 units of goods the EEU taxes will not be applied for the first
five years, and for more than 500 - they will work the way they do
in Armenia today.
"It is yet too early to say definitely that in five years goods will or
will not get more expensive. Because Russia is conducting negotiations
with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and has an obligation to
lower the tariff. We expect some taxes to lower," Tarasyan said.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Shavarsh Kocharyan addressed
the peculiarities of the EEU-Armenia agreement, saying, "We are the
first to cross that road, there is no such prior experience, and it is
natural that more serious and diligent work is necessary. The EEU will
function only from January 1. The ratification has been completed in
all countries, and according to the May 29 agreement signed in Astana,
those countries will stop functioning as sovereign entities."
According to the Deputy Minister, starting from January 1, when Armenia
becomes an EEU member, its relations with Georgia and Iran will not
suffer. In the EEU Committee Armenia will have three members by 2016
and they will provide one vote.
"This means if two countries make a decision they cannot do anything
without Armenia's vote," Kocharyan said.
Kokobelyan, meanwhile, described the EEU agreement not an opportunity,
but rather a challenge for Armenia and the Armenian economy.
"The question here is how you imagine any international company
wanting to invest in a region where the future is in a mist... Here
the question is not about being for or against Russia, and that
approach is silly... Here the question is where we are going to,
what achievements we will have, what problems we will face," he said.
In response to the question on how Armenia can be a member of
a structure members of which are selling weapons to its military
archrival Azerbaijan, Deputy Foreign Minister Kocharyan answered: "The
EEU is not the platform where that is supposed to be discussed. The
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is another question
where Armenia is a member as well. We deal with an Economic Union
and such questions are easier to be discussed at other platforms."
http://armenianow.com/news/58737/armenia_parliament_eurasian_union_debate