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Eurasian Union

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Yuri Krupnov: "EEU should be treated more constructively"

Yuri Krupnov: "EEU should be treated more constructively"

The chairman of the Supervisory Council of the Institute of Demography, Migration and Regional Development, Yuri Krupnov, talks about the future of the Eurasian Economic Union and notes that the issue of the EEU should be treated more constructively. In his opinion, the Union shall have ambitious plans. Among such plans could be an objective to increase GDP by 2.5% by 2020 in Eurasian Union countries. In September the parliaments of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus began the process of reviewing and ratifying the treaty on establishing the Eurasian Economic Union.

EEU turns towards industrialization

EEU turns towards industrialization

The director of the EurAsEC Institute, Vladimir Lepyokhin, says that the Eurasian Union will focus on industrialization. In September, the parliaments of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus begun the process of reviewing and ratifying the treaty on the establishment of the Eurasian Economic Union. 

Armenia’s joining of the Customs Union still being dragged out

The path of Armenia to join the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, taken at a meeting of presidents Vladimir Putin and Serzh Sargsyan in Moscow a year ago, has not ended yet. Armenia was planning to become a member of the CU in spring 2014, before the signing of the Eurasian Union agreement in Astana on May 29. The summit of presidents of the Customs Union in Minsk on September 10 is another benchmark in the process.

Armenian press review (July 29 – August 5)

The Zhamanak newspaper reports that the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani line of contact did not escalate unexpectedly for Armenia. According to the press, shipments of weapons worth $4 billion to Armenia were the motive for Azerbaijan to augment tensions. The Aykakan Zhamanak newspaper says that Azerbaijan is trying to convince residents of Armenian villages that Armenia cannot protect them by spending tens of thousands of euros on shelling them.

Overview of Azerbaijani media (July 31 - August 4)

Overview of Azerbaijani media (July 31 - August 4)

One of the main topics in the focus of the Azerbaijani media was the situation between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, which became drastic at the end of July. The parties to the conflict almost daily report deaths of soldiers. The media has also been closely watching the geopolitical processes in the region, particularly how the pro-European choice of Georgia will influence it. News Azerbaijan wrote that the conflict between the two sides was the most serious since the truce concluded 20 years ago and increased tensions in the frontal zone. Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov presented state awards to Azerbaijani military killed in the contact in the recent days, Interfax-Azerbaijan reported. The EU, the U.S. State Department and the Russian Foreign Ministry have expressed their concern at the escalation of conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and the contact line between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops across the border, urging the parties to refrain from large-scale hostilities. On August 4, in light of the aggravation of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, a tripartite meeting between the presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia in Sochi was announced. "The situation around Nagorno-Karabakh is like a bomb that will explode sooner or later," political scientist Tofig Abbasov told News-Azerbaijan. The expert believes that the Sochi meeting will be a decisive step in the conflict.The newspaper "Echo" reports that changes in relations between Russia and Georgia are worrying Armenia, since "the majority of Armenian goods pass through the territory of Georgia en route to Russia."The newspaper reported that Armenia has no direct borders with any of the countries involved in the Eurasian Union, which would create problems for itdevelopment. One of the main topics in the focus of the Azerbaijani media was the situation between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, which became drastic at the end of July.

Europe and Russia: on the edge of a break-up

Europe and Russia: on the edge of a break-up

 Europe and Russia: on the edge of a break-upOrkhan Sattarov, the head of VK's European office"Free trade from Lisbon to Vladivostok" is the proposal made several times by Vladimir Putin which used to seem possible, but which now, after …