Tweet
PROSPEROUS ARMENIA TO SPECIFY ITS POSITION ON ARMENIA'S ACCESSION TO CUSTOMS UNION ONLY AFTER ITS ECONOMIC BENEFITS BECOME CLARIFIED
YEREVAN, February 17. / ARKA /. A senior member of the Prosperous
Armenia Party said Saturday the party would specify its position on
Armenia's upcoming accession to the Russia-led Customs Union only
after its economic benefits for Armenia would become clear.
Speaking to reporters after the party's congress Naira Zohrabyan,
the party's parliamentary secretary, said there is only the 'roadmap'
of Armenia's membership process which has caused more questions
than answers.
Vartan Oskanian, another party member, who served ten years as
Armenia's foreign minister, said the 'roadmap' is bewildering.
He said in order to join the Russia-led trade bloc Armenia will have to
revise all its agreement with all countries outside the Customs Union.
"This means that for the sake of relations with 2- 3 countries,
we need to rethink everything that has been achieved over the last
23 years," said Oskanian, adding that the country must never be put
before such a choice.
"Now we are in a completely different situation, not stemming from
the interests of our people. This is not linked to either being
pro-Russian or not. We can have high level relations with Russia,
but our relationship with Russia and the Customs Union should be
considered on different planes ," he said.
The Prosperous Armenia, a moderate centrist political force with a
liberal bias, was established in 2004. In the latest parliamentary
elections on May 6, 2012 it came second winning 36 seats out of total
131. The party's chairman is a wealthy businessman Gagik Tsarukyan.
-0-
- See more at:
http://arka.am/en/news/politics/prosperous_armenia_to_specify_its_position_on_arme nia_s_accession_to_customs_union_only_after_its_ec/#sthash.E6xpjPb7.dpuf
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
YEREVAN, February 17. / ARKA /. A senior member of the Prosperous
Armenia Party said Saturday the party would specify its position on
Armenia's upcoming accession to the Russia-led Customs Union only
after its economic benefits for Armenia would become clear.
Speaking to reporters after the party's congress Naira Zohrabyan,
the party's parliamentary secretary, said there is only the 'roadmap'
of Armenia's membership process which has caused more questions
than answers.
Vartan Oskanian, another party member, who served ten years as
Armenia's foreign minister, said the 'roadmap' is bewildering.
He said in order to join the Russia-led trade bloc Armenia will have to
revise all its agreement with all countries outside the Customs Union.
"This means that for the sake of relations with 2- 3 countries,
we need to rethink everything that has been achieved over the last
23 years," said Oskanian, adding that the country must never be put
before such a choice.
"Now we are in a completely different situation, not stemming from
the interests of our people. This is not linked to either being
pro-Russian or not. We can have high level relations with Russia,
but our relationship with Russia and the Customs Union should be
considered on different planes ," he said.
The Prosperous Armenia, a moderate centrist political force with a
liberal bias, was established in 2004. In the latest parliamentary
elections on May 6, 2012 it came second winning 36 seats out of total
131. The party's chairman is a wealthy businessman Gagik Tsarukyan.
-0-
- See more at:
http://arka.am/en/news/politics/prosperous_armenia_to_specify_its_position_on_arme nia_s_accession_to_customs_union_only_after_its_ec/#sthash.E6xpjPb7.dpuf
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress