Entry of Armenia. Armenia joined the Eurasian Economic Union
The idea of joining NATO absorbed the Armenian leadership.
Participants in Yerevan international conference“NATO from Warsaw to Brussels: security reforms in Armenia”, it is unclear on what grounds they claim that membership in the CSTO is not an obstacle to successful interaction with NATO.
A political scientist Richard Kirakosyan generally sees Armenia as a bridge between Russia and NATO. Another Armenian expert - Stepan Grigoryan, no longer hiding at all, declared that Armenia should not associate its security with one country or structure. Not to mention the North Atlantic bloc itself, it would be interesting to know how Moscow would react to such a “bridge”, transformed from its outpost in the south, and to such “double” security?
Richard Kirakosyan
On the other hand, Armenia and NATO signed an Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) back in December 2005. This IPAP, in particular, provides for the promotion of reforms in the defense and security sector, as well as the development of capabilities peacekeeping forces Armenian NATO contingent. And at the current Yerevan conference, the deputy head of the NATO office in Georgia, Rosaria Puglisi, noted that Armenia, being a member of the CSTO, successfully cooperates with NATO, and “this is an unprecedented case when membership in a military-political bloc does not interfere with cooperation with another alliance.”
“NATO understands that such a policy is not easy for small countries. We value cooperation on the issue of peacekeeping missions. Cooperation with NATO, in particular, will allow Armenia to reform its security system,” Puglisi emphasized.
The same Kirakosyan went even further and concluded that three factors are especially important in Armenia-NATO relations: exchange of experience, reforms in the Armenian Armed Forces, which are also aimed at education and modernization. And at the same time " Armenia is a reliable partner for NATO, in the case when a number of partners, for example, Turkey, become very unreliable." In general, everything is in typical Armenian style: We, they say, are so good and loyal, but the harmful Turkey is completely superfluous there, so remove it - and it will be very good for you, and most importantly, for us.
What about Türkiye, Kirakosyan continued, criticizing other neighbors in the region - well, they also interfere with Armenia’s plans. But the coveted Alliance is in full swing sang praises: NATO has great civilizational significance in terms of ideals and values. And it is from this point of view that Armenia turns out to be much closer to NATO than Georgia or Azerbaijan.
“There are two reasons for this. Armenia is the only country in the region that controls its entire territory. Not a single part of Armenia’s territory is occupied, unlike Georgia and Azerbaijan, Armenia has no territorial losses. The second factor brings Armenia closer to NATO , more important: Armenia does not pose a military threat to neighboring countries, with Armenia being the strongest military force in the South Caucasus."
This is the schedule. The aggressor country now boasts that no one occupied its lands, and all because it has the most strong army and only she seizes other people's territories. And it’s okay that Russia is greatly contributing to this, the moment has come, and they will turn away from it - NATO is more reliable.
Meanwhile, according to the head of the Center strategic analysis Institute innovative development, Russian political expert Andrey Ivanov, The North Atlantic Alliance does not need Armenia itself in principle, like many countries of the former Union.
“The West may need Armenia only to destabilize the region, to carry out someone else’s geopolitical strategy in the region. And one wonders, do Armenian political scientists understand what consequences close cooperation with NATO for their country can lead to? So they say that Armenia can get everything from NATO for its defense Well, firstly, NATO does not give anything to anyone, but simply imposes obligations on military spending on its members and partners. Secondly, what would Armenia want to receive? Offensive weapons? For what? Russia today provides the Armenian army with all necessary weapons, incl. defensive. Therefore, if Armenia turns towards NATO, it will finally lose everything,” the Russian political scientist clearly described the situation.
Nevertheless, Armenia is very serious. Two years ago the first one in the Caucasus was even opened in Yerevan Information Center NATO. And who knows, maybe this fidgety country will achieve its goal - join the Alliance. It will be a great surprise for Russia. Although a surprise is something unexpected, unexpected, and Armenia no longer hides the fact that Moscow has ceased to be interesting to it, and NATO will be much more useful for it.
– Tigran Surenovich, in Armenia itself there is an ambivalent attitude towards joining the Customs Union. At the same time, opponents of the project often put forward a version of the country’s forced entry into this structure. What benefits does joining the Customs Union give to Armenia? What areas will you focus on first?
– Naturally, there was an ambivalent attitude towards joining the Customs Union (CU) not only in Armenia, but also abroad. Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space (SES) is an independent, conscious and balanced choice, which involves full participation in integration education, which unites our closest political allies, countries - CSTO members and our main economic partners.
Armenia's accession to the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space, first of all, removes all technical barriers to access to the huge Customs Union market, which is traditional for Armenian goods and manufacturers. We also predict an increase in the volume of direct investment in the Armenian economy, taking into account the new realities.
Being at the crossroads of civilizations, Armenia can also become a good platform for building economic contacts between the countries of the Customs Union and the Middle East region.
The Armenian government has been implementing a project for the development of export-oriented industries for several years. With joining the Customs Union, I see significant growth potential in the light (textile, footwear), food, and pharmaceutical industries. Armenia has quite a competitive advantage also in financial sector and in the region information technologies, which is one of the fastest growing sectors of our economy.
The government is also making efforts to restore chemical industry, and here a very important impetus for development will be the attraction of Russian investment. Armenia still has preserved traditions and technologies for the production of rubber, which is one of the basic products for the production of composite materials and for which there is steady demand in the world market.
– In what time frame is this project expected to be implemented?
– A working group has been created on Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space, headed by a member of the board (minister) of the Eurasian economic commission T.D. Gross. The working group includes representatives of four countries, as well as experts from the Eurasian Economic Commission. Working group prepared an action plan (“ road map") on Armenia's accession to the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space. It formulates those steps, the consistent implementation of which will lead to Armenia’s full accession to the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space.
We hope that this plan will be approved soon. It will create a legal basis for conducting all necessary negotiations for Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space.
The Government of Armenia conducted an intensive preparatory work in 22 directions. Many legislative acts have already been prepared and translation into Armenian is underway. regulatory documents CU and SES, the institutional basis of the CU is being studied and much more. And as Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin noted during his official visit to Armenia, we are moving at a fast and successful pace.
The work we have done suggests that we will be ready to join the CU in the near future.
– Opponents of Armenia’s accession to the CU are putting forward a project of alternative cooperation with the EU. Is it possible to simultaneously develop relations between Armenia and the EU and the Customs Union?
– President of Armenia Serzh Azatovich Sargsyan said on September 3 in Moscow that Armenia intends to continue a constructive dialogue with European Union(EU). At the summit in Vilnius at the end of November 2013, Armenia and the EU issued a joint statement in which they confirmed the parties’ readiness to continue cooperation in all areas of mutual interest. Many of the reforms carried out over the past 5 years were implemented with the support of the EU and today are producing tangible results. It is very important for us to continue the reforms that have already begun, the implementation of which requires technical and financial support from the EU.
– Will Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union speed up the solution to the issue of restoring railway communication with Russia? Or does this problem lie on a political plane?
– It’s no secret that the situation in the region is not the most favorable for Armenia. The closed border with Azerbaijan, the blockade carried out by Turkey since 1993, as well as international sanctions against our southern neighbor Iran have significantly limited the possibilities for the development of foreign trade relations in Armenia. The only transport corridor providing access to European, Russian and Asian markets, passes through Georgia. Therefore, it is very important for Armenia to participate in all transport projects that contribute to expanding the geography of cargo flows and reducing the costs of transporting goods. The restoration of railway communication or the creation of new railway routes, in addition to the geopolitical one, also has a financial component. We have hope that the issue of railway communication with Russia will be resolved. But today we are working with the realities that we have.
– What awaits the air market of Armenia – liberalization of the Armenian sky or a national air carrier?
– The Government of Armenia has liberalized the air services market. We conducted a thorough analysis with the involvement of the National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia and experts from the McKinsey consulting company.
Based on this analysis, the government of Armenia developed and adopted the policy “ open sky", which is based on liberalization and creation of competitive conditions in the field of air transportation. Within a few weeks of this decision, we began to see a gradual decline in airfare prices, as well as an expansion in the geography of air travel, and this process will continue in the future. I am sure that many of our compatriots are already experiencing positive changes in air ticket prices.
– What is necessary to ensure that our compatriots do not leave their country? What programs are planned to be implemented in this direction?
– Solving the issue of migration is in the center of constant attention of the government. Our citizens leave mainly due to the lack of jobs that provide high earnings. Therefore, this problem can only be solved by creating required quantity high-paying jobs, which is the government's main priority. In order to solve this problem, a set of measures is being carried out in industry, agriculture and other industries with growth potential. The government today offers a wide range of tools to support entrepreneurship, including small and medium-sized businesses, including VAT benefits, preferential financing investment projects, technological renewal projects, capital participation and much more. The basis public policy The principle of public-private partnership is laid down. The information technology sector is also a priority for the Armenian government. During recent years We are recording double-digit economic growth in this industry. Many transnational companies already have their laboratories and offices in Armenia, and in 2014 a technology park will begin operating in Gyumri, in which many local and foreign companies are interested. In addition, from January 1, 2014, the funded pension system will begin to function in Armenia. The 275,000 young people born after January 1, 1974 will take responsibility for their own pensions and will be required to contribute 5% of their salary to savings accounts each month. The state, for its part, will double this amount so that retirement age they were able to receive a decent pension. The current pension system, based on the principle of generational solidarity, cannot ensure an increase in pensions in the near future, since in a few years there will be 4 pensioners per working citizen of Armenia. To avoid in the future constant increase income tax, we have created a new pension system, which is based on the principle of justice and responsibility. A responsible citizen of Armenia is a guarantee of prosperity and a guarantor of the future development of Armenia.
– What would you wish to our readers, compatriots living outside of Armenia?
– Armenia is now living in new realities, and first of all, I would like to wish that our compatriots return to their homeland and be able to realize their goals and plans at home, in Armenia. I wish that in this rapidly changing world, Armenians living abroad will preserve their national identity.
Today, more than ever, we need to unite our efforts so that Armenia becomes one big house for everyone who considers themselves Armenian.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all our compatriots and readers of your newspaper on the New Year and Merry Christmas.
I wish everyone peace, health and prosperity!
Conducted the conversation
Grigory Anisonyan
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Total voted 40 HumanComment
Karen Haraz, --- I have lived in the USA for 20 years 2014-02-07 23:19:00
Mr. Anisonyan is right. We must respect each other, no one will do this for us, and until the law works in Armenia for everyone, from a simple driver to a major official, all conversations will remain conversations.
Aram, Moscow - to the predecessor 2014-02-08 22:40:07
Everything is said in the title, if there are a lot of honest people around Samvel, it means he is just as honest. The saying is: “Tell me who your friend is, and I will tell you who you are.” If there were more such guys in Armenia, maybe we will come back.
Interview
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Samvel Sargsyan: I am an optimist, and there are many honest people around me
Samvel Sargsyan, chairman of the board of directors of the Lusine construction and restoration concern, the Moscow Ararat Park Hyatt hotel and the Yerevan Hyatt, talks about decency and dignity, whether these qualities help in business, and about the best hotel in the world with an Armenian accent. Place Yerevan."
Grigory Anisonyan 6391
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Armenia will take full part in the integration processes of the Customs Union
Interview of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan to the newspaper “Noah’s Ark”
Armenia joined the EAEU in 2015, and even earlier, in 1992, the CSTO, having received trade preferences and military assistance from Russia. But recently it became clear that Yerevan’s priority has become European integration and cooperation with NATO. And here Moscow, apparently, will no longer repeat the mistakes made in Ukraine.
Nagorno-Karabakh: a compromise found?
Armenia's plans have changed
IN this year Yerevan declared its desire to associate with the EU and prepared a project for signing. Even earlier, Armenia entered into the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) with NATO, the plan of which for 2017-2019 (the fifth in a row) was approved in April. It provides for consultations with the alliance on regional security, development military doctrine Armenia, improving the defense and budget planning process, as well as participation in peacekeeping missions of the military bloc in Kosovo and Afghanistan. At the latest NATO summits, the Armenian delegation was present as an observer.
This no longer looks like an attempt to sit on two chairs, but a direct betrayal of Russia. It’s time to say: “Go and ask NATO to solve your problems with Turkey and Azerbaijan.”
You need to be offended by yourself
Its own “multi-vector” did not prevent Yerevan from being offended by Russia’s multi-vector nature - establishing economic relations with Turkey, plans for Ankara to join the EAEU, arms sales to Azerbaijan. And this despite the fact that Baku pays Russia in real money, and Yerevan purchases weapons from Russia on its own credit, that is, it borrows.
You have to, gentlemen, somehow balance your desire to keep up everywhere with your limited capabilities. regional country! And understand that the EAEU (Eurasian economic union) and CSTO (Treaty Organization collective security) - is not former USSR in one bottle and not a feeder, but integration through competition and mutual assistance.
I would also like to remind our Armenian friends that it was Vladimir Putin (and not Angela Merkel) who stopped the advance of Azerbaijani troops in Nagorno-Karabakh in April. Russia has historically proven its good attitude to the Armenians. Let us at least remember what exactly promotion Russian army to help the self-defense of the city of Van in 1915 helped save 200 thousand Armenians from genocide by Ottoman Empire. And what is it worth recognizing this genocide in 1995 - 20 years earlier than Germany did?!
If the Armenian side had thought carefully, it would have become clear to them that the rapprochement between Russia and Turkey should not be condemned, but welcomed - for a very simple reason: Moscow and Ankara are drawing closer not so much politically, but in economically, and Yerevan can benefit from this. After all, its border with Turkey is closed, so why not ask Putin to help soften Erdogan’s position?
We must take a step to refute the new course
It looks like common sense is prevailing after all. Armenia, as the news.am portal reports today, refused to take part in the Agile Spirit 2017 exercises, which are being held in Georgia by NATO partner countries from the USA, Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Latvia and Romania (by the way, Azerbaijan is boycotting them). Armenian military personnel and representatives of the country's armed forces did not attend the opening ceremony of the exercises. “No comments,” Press Secretary of the Armenian Defense Minister Artsrun Hovhannisyan told TASS.
But his deputy Artak Zakaryan said that Armenia’s military-political diplomacy is fully consistent foreign policy republics, therefore “it is not at all clear why Armenia was listed among the participants in the exercises.”
“Armenia’s participation in NATO exercises was initially stipulated as part of a multi-vector policy,” Arman Boshyan, chairman of the Yerevan Geopolitical Club, told Pravda.Ru. “However, I believe that in the context of global aggravation in Syria, in the conditions of the sanctions war, this policy cannot justify itself. Taking into account the fact that Armenia is a member of the CSTO, a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, we need to more specifically determine where we are going and what kind of relations we are building in the military sphere."
"It seems to me that Armenia should take a more active part in the Syrian operation, because there we're talking about not only about the Syrians, but also about the fate of Christians, and we are not on the same path with NATO and Turkey,” Arman Boshyan is sure.
On the issue of the European association of Yerevan, Moscow also needs to take a firm position: European sanctioned products will flow into Russia through Armenia, which will earn money on transit, and the Russian Federation will lose its image and domestic market.
Western media fears for nuclear weapon USA in TurkeyA number of Western journalists have drawn attention to the fact that American nuclear weapons located at the Incirlik military base, which is used by the US and Turkish Air Forces, could fall into the wrong hands.Attention Western press is focused today on the events in Turkey, where state of emergency. The official West not only mourns the failed coup in this country, but is also rightly concerned about the fate of nuclear arsenal, located at the NATO Air Force Base in Incirlik. However, events in neighboring Armenia, where the situation is threatening, remain in the shadows.
From my point of view, the Armenian rebellion is a kind of compensation for the West (whose intelligence services, I am sure, are behind both the attempted rebellion in Turkey and the hostage-taking operation in Armenia) for the failure in Ankara.
So it is no coincidence that today Western politicians do not particularly notice the actions of terrorists in Yerevan, expecting, as I believe, a favorable outcome for themselves in this country.
“Armenia has fallen into a trap,” notes the publication Sputnikarmeniya.ru. Into the trap, I would add, set up for the authorities of this country by the modern Danaans. Armenian society, alas, is not yet ready for tough measures to counter those cleverly twisted provocations that are presented to Yerevan over and over again by emissaries from various Euro-American structures operating in conjunction with individual representatives Armenian diaspora in Europe and the USA.
Danaan technology on the march
Everyone knows that the same technology of “color revolution” is used in relation to the population of countries “attracted” by the West, when, through externally stimulated anti-government forces, an active minority, masquerading as a popular majority, rises up to fight the “corrupt” government.
But somehow it is not particularly discussed that in relation to the native elites, the Western colonialist always uses the same Danaan method - to appease the leaders of local tribes with worthless gifts in order to completely discourage their instinct of self-preservation.
In relation to the post-Soviet natives, due to their extreme corruption by the benefits of the Soviet paternalistic system, the West used a minimum of gifts and a maximum of promises. It was enough for Ukraine to promise the status of a European power, as a country of 40 million people, possessing the most powerful scientific, technical and cultural potential (exceeding in its level the majority European countries), not only collapsed at the feet of the Euro-American empire, but vowed to Uncle Sam to bring him on a saucer the head of the State Department’s main enemy (and its older brother) - Russia.
In order to conquer the post-Soviet space without firing a single shot, the Euro-American empire built a global Trojan horse - the Eastern Partnership project, which was presented to the post-Soviet elites as a means of “civilizing” these elites.
Only now some people (part of Ukraine, for example) are beginning to realize that this project was launched not to distribute gifts and preferences to its participants, but to distribute something fundamentally different.
Ukraine received war, devastation, billions of dollars in debt and total looting from the Danaans. Georgia - war and colonial dependence. Moldova - poverty and desovereignization. Kyrgyzstan - several destructive and senseless coups d'etat. And even Kazakhstan, which has always adhered to a multi-vector policy, received a blow in the gut from the West in the form of its support for the non-systemic opposition.
Today the Trojan horse of “partnership” with Europe is being thrown into Belarus, Azerbaijan and especially Armenia. After all, Armenia is a member of the CSTO and Russia’s closest ally in Transcaucasia.
Armenians must understand who is their enemy and who is their friend
Let us remember what happened in and around Armenia in the last three and a half months - immediately after fighting broke out on the border with Azerbaijan on April 1 of this year.
At the beginning of April, Yerevan was shown that Azerbaijan is ready for war, that it is supported by forces such as Turkey, IS (a group banned in Russia), NATO and the United States, which means an agreement on Nagorno-Karabakh may be revised by force.
© Ruptly
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Russia prevented the possible escalation of the border conflict into a full-scale war. However, the West launched information attacks in the Armenian direction, as a result of which it managed to convince part of the Armenian society that Russia is not capable of protecting Armenia in the event of a war with Azerbaijan, which means that it is necessary to be friends not with “weak” Russia, but with “strong” "West.
Not only money was sent to Armenia to support pro-Western NGOs and Western journalists, but also various kinds of military experts. Thus, on May 26, a representative delegation of US military and diplomats, led by the commander himself, visited Armenia ground forces USA in Europe. And in early June, Germany, almost kissing Erdogan, in the person of its Bundestag, suddenly recognized the Armenian genocide of 1915.
It is clear that such a serious decision, after which, by the way, Turkey’s friendship with Germany ended, could not have been made without the prompting of the State Department. However, many Armenian politicians accepted the decision of the Bundestag at face value (for a turn towards Armenia), not realizing that the West with this decision pushed Yerevan into the jaws of NATO's boa constrictor.
Then, at the end of June, Pope Francis I arrived in Armenia. Officially (who would doubt it?) - to honor the memory of the Armenian genocide. What about unofficially?
Finally, in early July, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan was invited to the NATO summit in Warsaw.
Should he have refused the Pope a visit? Hardly. But Yerevan, in my opinion, should have understood that the pope’s visit, like the decision of the Bundestag, are “gifts” that will inevitably be followed by retribution. So the invitation to Warsaw was already an ultimatum, albeit in the traditional Danaan form for Europe. And therefore, Yerevan had to refuse to participate in the NATO summit, foreseeing that they were preparing to sacrifice Armenia.
Armenia needs to get out of the trap
Coup in Turkey ( largest country NATO) began three days after the alliance summit. And almost simultaneously with it, a rebellion began in Armenia.
Armenia was lucky that the Turkish rebellion failed. Otherwise, anti-government forces would have seized not only the police station in Yerevan.
I have no doubt that the coups in Armenia and Turkey were planned according to a single scheme. It is no coincidence that the hostage-taking terrorists from the “Founding Parliament” did not put forward any demands other than those prepared for the coup: Sargsyan’s resignation, Sefilyan’s freedom.
However, the main problem The problem with Armenia is not that there was a group of nationalists who were ready to sacrifice their country for the sake of money from curators from overseas. It is that part of the population believes them, and the number of such believers, as a rule, increases sharply if the authorities do not show decisiveness and do not offer society a clear perspective.
Yerevan police dispersed the crowd and arrested the leaders of the non-systemic opposition. However, this is not enough to improve the situation in the country. In Armenian society today there are many Danaans who demand reconciliation during the day and throw stones at the police at night.
So EU officials, immediately after the instigators of the riots were arrested, called on the authorities and the opposition to refrain from violence.
It is clear that this call is addressed to the authorities, and not to terrorists. Otherwise, EU officials should have condemned the hostage taking in Yerevan and demanded that the terrorists release them - something EU officials do not do, thereby showing whose side they are on.
Thus, the authorities in Armenia today should do exactly the opposite of what the Danaans from the EU are calling for. It's time to stop talking about "democracy", by which the West understands exclusively its own interests.
I believe that the Armenian authorities should not only suppress the rebellion, but also carry out a personnel purge in the country. And the Armenian elites must understand that the actions of Western politicians - no matter what beautiful wrappings and flattering words they dress up in - will always be directed against the sovereignty of this country.
It's time to stop playing its games with the West. It's time to start living by your own mind and your own interests.
Armenia joined the Eurasian Economic Union on January 2. The country's membership in the EAEU will be limited for now: it will have limited representation in the Eurasian Economic Commission, and it will introduce a number of customs rates and duties later
Armenia officially joins the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) on January 2, 2015. TASS reports this.
At the same time, in executive bodies Union, the country will still be represented in a reduced composition until the end of their term of office. In the board of the Eurasian Economic Commission, it will, like other countries, be represented by three members, but all will have only one vote.
Armenia's share in the volume customs duties, which will be received from the import of goods into the territory of the EAEU, the agency estimates at 1.13%. At the same time, in the sphere of services, Armenia will join the agreements of the union members on a general basis, and in the sphere of trade in goods, a gradual transition to a single tariff of the EAEU will be provided. Until 2018, the country will also apply zero customs rates on gasoline. The country will move to unified customs tariff rates in 2020.
Russia's support for Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia amounts to several billion dollars. Thus, in 2014, Belarus did not pay $2 billion to the Russian treasury under the agreement on the distribution of oil duties. The plan for the integration of Kyrgyzstan into the EAEU, in turn, will cost $500 million - for this, a Kyrgyz-Russian development fund will be created with a total capital of $1 billion, where 50% will be Russian investments, reported RBC man, familiar with the essence of the agreements.
Also in 2009, Russia allocated a loan to Kyrgyzstan for the construction of Kambarata HPP-1 with a capacity of 1.6-1.9 MW for $1.7 billion. At the same time, Kyrgyzstan received a state loan for $300 million and a gratuitous grant for $150 million.