Zakharova: intensive dialogue between EEU and Azerbaijan would contribute to unblocking of transport arteries in South Caucasus

YEREVAN, December 15. /ARKA/. An intensive dialogue between the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and Azerbaijan in any format would contribute to the unblocking of transport arteries in the South Caucasus, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said today in a comment on former Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev's proposal to grant Azerbaijan an observer status in the EEU.

"The Eurasian Economic Union is open to all the states which share its goals and principles, and are interested in closer integration and cooperation. First and foremost we mean the CIS countries, which have close cooperation ties with the EEU member states," she said.

Zakharova stressed that the EEU is rapidly developing, improving its instruments of economic cooperation based on the best global practices, and is actively modernizing transport infrastructure.

"An intensive dialogue between Azerbaijan and the EEU in any format would help boost mutual trade and unblock transport arteries in the region and, of course, help implement large-scale regional infrastructure projects," she said.

Zakharova emphasized that an intensive dialogue with Azerbaijan is possible only with the consent of all member states and interested parties after a comprehensive expert examination of the possible economic effects.

The Eurasian Economic Union is an international organization of economic integration that includes Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, while Moldova, Uzbekistan and Cuba have the status of observer states. -0-