Russia to join EaEU next week

Russia will be the first country to ratify the treaty on formation of the Eurasian Economic Union. The Russian State Duma will do so on September 26. The date of ratification of the treaty in Belarus and Kazakhstan has not been set yet.

Armenia is another potential member of the EaEU. Kavkazoved.info editor-in-Chief Andrey Areshev said that the sides were working on details of Armenia’s membership of the Customs Union and the Eurasian Economic Union: “The question is synchronization of agreed customs duties, import customs duties that are quite low in Armenia or at a zero level, higher within the framework of the CU. There are other different problems, including political ones.”

Speaking of obstacles in the way of Eurasian integration, Areshev notes the complicated geopolitical situation around Russia and the Eurasian space as a whole: “We understand well that the Customs Union and the Eurasian Economic Union are not forming empty space. We see that Russia is in quite a complicated position due to the situation in Ukraine, and not only in Ukraine. We have recently seen how the American embassy in Yerevan was openly advising Armenia to stay away from Russia. The line of resisting integration processes is quite serious, systemic and consistent, and the ones sticking to it will use any arguments - right, wrong, correct, incorrect - to drag out the process.”

On the other hand, the political analyst is certain that such provocations are pointless: “On August 14, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev approved the text of the agreement on adjoining Armenia to the EaEU and presented it to Vladimir Putin for signing. In his turn, the Russian president signed the order on signing the document on September 1. Unfortunately, we see no analogical reports from Minsk or from Astana, although, according to some information, the process is routine, technical and it is ongoing there.”

In Andrey Areshev’s opinion, relying on exact dates is wrong: “We know that the common baseline is January 1, 2015, when the Eurasian Economic Union should be fully launched. I think that the date should be the baseline. And I think that we can express moderate optimism that all agreements will be made and concluded in the remaining months before the New Year, and the document will be ready for signing by all sides. Because, as far as I know, Russia is ready to sign it now but the EaEU does not consist of Russia alone, it has three full-fledged members who may definitely have some remarks.”

Andrey Areshev: “The line for prevention of integration processes is quite serious”Russia will be the first country to ratify the treaty on formation of the Eurasian Economic Union. The Russian State Duma will do so on September 26. The date of ratification of the treaty in Belarus and Kazakhstan has not been set yet.Armenia is another potential member of the EaEU. Kavkazoved.info editor-in-Chief Andrey Areshev said that the sides were working on details of Armenia’s membership of the Customs Union and the Eurasian Economic Union: “The question is synchronization of agreed customs duties, import customs duties that are quite low in Armenia or at a zero level, higher within the framework of the CU. There are other different problems, including political ones.”Speaking of obstacles in the way of Eurasian integration, Areshev notes the complicated geopolitical situation around Russia and the Eurasian space as a whole: “We understand well that the Customs Union and the Eurasian Economic Union are not forming empty space. We see that Russia is in quite a complicated position due to the situation in Ukraine, and not only in Ukraine. We have recently seen how the American embassy in Yerevan was openly advising Armenia to stay away from Russia. The line of resisting integration processes is quite serious, systemic and consistent, and the ones sticking to it will use any arguments - right, wrong, correct, incorrect - to drag out the process.”On the other hand, the political analyst is certain that such provocations are pointless: “On August 14, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev approved the text of the agreement on adjoining Armenia to the EaEU and presented it to Vladimir Putin for signing. In his turn, the Russian president signed the order on signing the document on September 1. Unfortunately, we see no analogical reports from Minsk or from Astana, although, according to some information, the process is routine, technical and it is ongoing there.”In Andrey Areshev’s opinion, relying on exact dates is wrong: “We know that the common baseline is January 1, 2015, when the Eurasian Economic Union should be fully launched. I think that the date should be the baseline. And I think that we can express moderate optimism that all agreements will be made and concluded in the remaining months before the New Year, and the document will be ready for signing by all sides. Because, as far as I know, Russia is ready to sign it now but the EaEU does not consist of Russia alone, it has three full-fledged members who may definitely have some remar