Andrey Smirnov, Vice President of the Foundation for Development of Eurasian Cooperation, said in a video conference that he believes Armenia has received all the answers and information it needed on joining the Customs Union. He added that Azerbaijan, with its great reserves of hydrocarbons and strengthening economy, was welcome to join the integration process.
Georgia, striving to cooperate with the US, EU and NATO, failed to join European structures and was in a grave economic condition, the expert noted. The steps made by Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili demonstrated interest in Russia. Studies made by the Eurasian Development Bank show that over half of the Georgian population is positive about rapprochement with Russia. South Ossetia and Abkhazia drag development of their bilateral relations.
Vladimir Lepyokhin, Director of the EurAsEC Institute, noted that Armenia and Kyrgyzstan were the only countries that could join the Customs Union in 2015. He agreed that Russia and Kazakhstan were interested in having Azerbaijan as part of the integration scheme.
The expert called Georgia’s participation more problematic. The Georgian policy is based on political leaders who play the key role in its development. Lepyokhin said that Georgia’s participation in the Customs Union and the Eurasian Union was 99% its own decision. He believes that Vietnam may be a likely state to help expand the Customs Union.
