Kalamanov: Membership in CU doesn’t restrict sovereignty of states

Membership in the Customs Union (CU) will be advantageous to both Yerevan and Moscow, Russian Deputy Minister of Economy Georgy Kalamanov stated during the briefing after the 11th sitting of the Interstate Commission on Military and Economic Cooperation of Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The sitting was held in Yerevan today.

“I think Armenia will benefit from its entry into the Customs Union. From a trade and economic point of view, I think it is always advantageous to have elements of free trade. A free trade area and a free trade regime are available. Besides, there are historically established trade links beneficial to any state,” Kalamanov said.

He compared the issue of Armenia’ membership in Customs Union with that of Russia’s membership in World Trade Organization (WTO).

“It is a frequently asked rhetorical question: Will it be advantageous or not? In my opinion, the role of a global player, membership in a union that forms a free trade zone are always advantageous. Both Armenia and Russia may benefit from such a decision,” the deputy minister said.

In his words, membership in the Customs Union will not restrict sovereignty of any state.

Kalamanov expressed hope that the process of Armenia’ joining the CU will finish in 2014. “Mechanisms of cooperation within the CU framework have been developed recently,” he said, adding, “I think it is possible to accelerate the process of Armenia’s joining the Customs Union”.

Kalamanov found it difficult to answer the question about how the fact that Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh are already in a common economic space will affect Armenia’s membership in the CU.

“There are numerous agreements and it is necessary to reach an agreement concerning each of them,” Kalamanov said.
We would remind you that at the September 3 meeting in Moscow, Presidents of Armenia and Russia, Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir Putin, discussed the state and prospects of bilateral allied partnership and issues of foreign-policy cooperation. The heads of the two states confirmed the intention of Yerevan and Moscow to further develop economic integration processes in the Eurasian space.

In accordance with a joint statement, President Sargsyan stated about Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union and take the necessary practical steps for that purpose and later to take part in the formation of the Eurasian Economic Union. President Putin supported the decision of the Republic of Armenia and expressed the Russian side’s willingness to assist with that process in every possible way.