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Eurasian Horizon: Signing Of Treaty On Armenia's Accession To Russia

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  • Eurasian Horizon: Signing Of Treaty On Armenia's Accession To Russia

    EURASIAN HORIZON: SIGNING OF TREATY ON ARMENIA'S ACCESSION TO RUSSIA-LED BLOC AGAIN DELAYED

    ANALYSIS | 04.07.14 | 10:27
    http://armenianow.com/commentary/analysis/55796/armenia_eurasian_union_treaty_delay_russia

    By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
    ArmeniaNow correspondent

    Armenia's accession to the Eurasian Economic Union (EaEU) has once
    again been postponed. Kazakh Foreign Minister Yerlan Idrisov wrote in
    his Twitter account on Wednesday that Armenia may sign an agreement
    with the EaEU in October.

    This information was not immediately commented on either in Armenia or
    in Russia, nor were any statements made about the reasons for delaying
    Armenia's entry. Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan
    said earlier that on June 30 Armenia submitted a draft agreement for
    interstate discussion.

    Talking to media late on Thursday, though, Prime Minister Hovik
    Abrahamyan said that still Armenia will complete the procedures of
    acceding to the EaEU by the end of this year. He added, however,
    that he was not aware of any specific reasons for the delay. "It
    isn't known yet, but we do not have any problem at all, it's all
    about technical matters," he said.

    Politicians and experts point to a number of possible reasons for
    the difficulties on the way of Armenia's Eurasian integration. For
    instance, Prosperous Armenia Party MP Mikael Melkumyan mentions failure
    to agree on the issue of customs exemptions on 900 basic types of
    commodities. Duties on these goods were to rise after Armenia's
    entry into the Russian-led trade bloc, which would have caused a
    socio-economic collapse in the country.

    Others point to Russia's failed plan for a simultaneous integration of
    Armenia and Azerbaijan into the Eurasian Union. For example, member
    of the opposition Heritage party Stepan Safaryan links Armenia's
    "insurmountable difficulties" with Eurasian integration to the Karabakh
    problem. Experts say that Russia intended to introduce Collective
    Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) peacekeeping forces into Karabakh
    and, by dividing Karabakh, attract Armenia and Azerbaijan to the Union.

    However, Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan underscored that
    Yerevan sees no need to turn to Russia or the CSTO for assistance
    in peacekeeping. According to reports in the Azerbaijani press,
    Baku authorities are not happy with the proposals of Russia either:
    military expert Uzeir Jafarov says that Azerbaijan was offered "two or
    three Karabakh districts" with the deployment of Russian peacekeepers.

    However, it did not suit Baku.

    Armenia's neighbor Georgia also showed a tough stance. It is through
    this country that Armenia has the only path towards Russia. Despite the
    June visit by President Serzh Sargsyan and the warm welcome that he
    got in Tbilisi, Georgia categorically refused to authorize a customs
    duty-free transit of goods to Russia from Armenia and back.

    This means that attempts to secure a land link between Armenia and
    the EaEU have also failed.

    Besides, despite statements that Armenia will eventually join the
    Eurasian Union and that the move meets its national interests, the
    Armenian authorities do not appear to be quite enthusiastic over such
    a prospect and obviously are not particularly trying hard to achieve
    membership now. Political and social circles seem to rejoice at every
    failed attempt to further promote Armenia's integration into the
    Eurasian space. Obviously, many in Armenia are awaiting the ultimate
    failure of the Eurasian project.

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