Expert: Armenia not to join Eurasian Economic Union in nearest days and weeks
15.07.2014,
16:20
Armenia will not join the Eurasian Economic Union in the nearest days and weeks because of some technical and political problems, Alexander Iskandaryan, director of the Caucasus Institute, said Tuesday at a news conference.
YEREVAN, July 15. /ARKA/. Armenia will not join the Eurasian Economic Union in the nearest days and weeks because of some technical and political problems, Alexander Iskandaryan, director of the Caucasus Institute, said Tuesday at a news conference.
“Nevertheless, all these problems are solvable, and discord between Armenia and Eurasian Economic Union countries is not catastrophic,” he said adding that the matter settlement is under way now.
In his words, there are three reasons why the Eurasian Economic Union countries are so slow in accepting Armenia – technical problems in implementing the roadmap, obstacles in coordination with other EEU member countries and contradictions among Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus.
In particular, the Customs Union or the Eurasian Economic Union makes its decisions by 2/3 of votes. It means Belarus and Kazakhstan now have levers to influence Russia, but things will change after Armenia joins the union.
On May 29, at a session of Eurasian Economic Council in Astana, Kazakhstan, the Armenian president expressed Yerevan’s intention to join the Eurasian Economic Union agreement until June 15. However, appropriate papers have not been signed so far.
On July 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at a meeting of Russian diplomats, said Armenian will become a full member of the union very soon.
In resent days, media outlets quoted Kazakh Foreign Minister Yerlan Idrisov as saying that the agreement between Armenia and Eurasian Economic Union is likely to be signed in October 2014 at a regular meeting of Eurasian Economic Union countries’ presidents in Minsk. --0----
