Armenia is free from standoff between customs Union and EU: Expert
15.07.2013,
17:07
Alexander Iskandarian, head of Yerevan-based Caucasus Institute, said today Armenia is free from the standoff between the Russian-led Customs Union that involves also Belarus and Kazakhstan and the European Union.
YEREVAN, July 15. / ARKA /. Alexander Iskandarian, head of Yerevan-based Caucasus Institute, said today Armenia is free from the standoff between the Russian-led Customs Union that involves also Belarus and Kazakhstan and the European Union.
He said a problem would arise if Armenia were invited on the one hand to join the European Union and on the other hand to the Customs Union, because membership in any of these alliances means transfer of part of powers by a country to a supranational body.
Speaking at a news conference Iskandarian said Armenia was not invited to join either of the alliances. According to him, Armenia’s formats of cooperating with both are quite compatible.
According to Iskandarian, the standoff issue between the Customs Union and the EU is being actively discussed in Armenia having even prompted the people advocating Armenia’s cooperation with one of the alliances to accuse the other side of being agents of foreign influence.
Iskandaryan argued that Armenia's accession to the Customs Union would mean a drastic change in its cross-border cooperation with Georgia and Iran.
Armenia as well as several other former Soviet republics are expected to initial their respective association agreements with EU at an Eastern Partnership summit slated for November in Vilnius, Lithuania -0-
