Eurasian integration, “people’s project”?
On November 17, the joint sitting of the RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Ties with Compatriots of the RF State Duma was held in Yerevan, which was attended by Leonid Slutsky, the Chairman of the Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Ties with Compatriots of the RF State Duma. He has informed that the Road Map of Armenia’s joining Customs Union is envisaged to establish in December, and the country’s membership to the Customs Union will be a matter of months, said Slutsky.
Yesterday, RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian left for a working visit to Moscow, where he met with RF Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov. On Sunday, Leonid Slutsky informed “Liberty” r/s that along with other issues, he will discuss the process of Armenia’s joining the Customs Union, “We want to continue our cooperation with the OSCE, the UN and, of course, with the post-Soviet operating structures within the framework of CIS and CSTO,” said RF Foreign Minister and added, “We will actively support in resolution of all issues that need to regulate for Armenia’s urgent joining the Customs Union,” said Sergey Lavrov to Edward Nalbandian, yesterday, at a meeting.
At a joint press conference with the Chairman of the RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Artak Zakaryan and Leonid Slutsky held on Sunday, Slutsky underlined that the Eurasian integration should become a people’s project. To his conviction, people should feel that the Eurasian integration is necessary and improves their lives. Mr. Slutsky also highlighted the cultural and humanitarian cooperation, particularly, the programs of developing the Russian language in Armenia and the opening of Armenian schools in Russia. In his opinion, the citizens should be informed what the Eurasian integration program is and what it will give to them.
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“ITAR-TASS” has informed that, in May next year, the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council will start legally establishing a Eurasian Economic Union, and since then, the Customs Union and the Common Economic Area will merge and turn into a Eurasian Economic Union. “ITAR-TASS” has adverted to the RA Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan, who has said that a great job of summarizing the legal basis is upcoming, and the Armenian side is asking the partners to work in a speed-up mode, and to ensure Armenia’s joining the CU by May, which will enable the Republic to fully participate in the process of further integration process. “We expect from our partners a proper treatment to ratification process of the agreement on Armenia’s joining. We understand that ratification of such complex agreements requires some time, but we eagerly want the process to be completed as soon as possible,” said Sh. Kocharyan.
He said that by signing the CU joining agreement, Armenia will join about 9 dozen agreements. In fact, after being consistent to the EU Association Agreement for three and a half years, the RA authorities are now asking the Russian side to ensure Armenia’s joining the Customs Union in speeded procedure until May. Prior to the Vilnius summit in ten days, now, Armenia is mentioned as an example of the failure of the Eastern Partnership program. Of course, the probability is greater that the next summit Ukraine will not sign EU Association Agreement, whereas Moldova and Georgia, in fact, remained faithful to the strive of proceeding by the path of the European universal values declared by their countries.
We are intensively involved in the Eurasian integration processes, at least at this moment, without clear researches of what is expected to our country in relationship with other countries on economic and commercial issues. Moreover, a few days ago, the Russian Ambassador to Armenia Ivan Volinkin opined that on joining the Customs Union, Armenia will have to give up some of its sovereignty. To our question of how he will respond to the concerns voiced in Yerevan that joining the CU Armenia will lose its sovereignty, the Ambassador replied, “Didn’t the EU member states lose a part of their sovereignty when they merged? A part of these countries even sacrificed a certain sector of their industry and agriculture.” It is remarkable that such a statement is made in Armenia at the level of accredited RF Ambassador, when, a few months ago, the former and acting Russian diplomats, as well as a variety of pro-Russian activists claimed that Armenia will lose its sovereignty when initialing the EU Association Agreement.
However, it leaves the impression that the haste of Armenian authorities towards the Customs Union is connected with rapid reduction of cooperation level with EU, and with a drive, at least, not to be ignored by Moscow.
Emma GABRIELYAN
