Armenia has not yet ratified the full package of documents to join the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Oleg Noginsky, President of the Customs Union Suppliers Association, said during a Moscow-Yerevan video conference.
He said that one cannot sign only part of the agreement. In the meantime, he welcomed Yerevan's decision to join the Customs Union and pointed out that Armenia is unique for the given Union, because it lacks common borders with the founders.
Noginsky thinks it is wrong to raise the Nagorno-Karabakh issue within the given economic union. "It would be more reasonable to consider that issue within the CSTO", he said. Noginsky said that there are many non-recognized states in the post-Soviet area and stressed the need to set up a single group of negotiations to determine the status and format of those states. This will also prevent escalation of tension in the trouble spots.
For his part, Dmitry Korshunov, Head of the Center for Integration Studies, Eurasian Development Bank, pointed out several aspects to be taken into account. In particular, he stressed the need to resolve some transport problems, because Armenia is isolated. He pointed out the launch of the Armenia-Iran railway service, as well as the railway service to Russia via Georgia and the construction of the North-South transport corridor, which will allow Armenia to become a strong hub for commodity transportation. Korshunov also emphasized the need to tackle the energy issues, particularly, construction of the fifth power unit of Hrazdan TPP and construction of the new power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant.
"It is also necessary to settle the issue related to the migration flows and money transfers, as well as to ensure the security of the citizens abroad and, certainly, to tackle the issues of customs duties, because Armenia has low customs duties, which will change following Armenia's accession to the Customs Union", he said.