MOSCOW—President Serzh Sarkisian on Thursday met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss Armenia’s possible involvement in a customs pact, known as the ‘Eurasia Union’ and to agree on future price for Russia’s gas supply to Armenia.
“I think we have come to an agreement about pricing for gas supplies. The price should be based on actual market price of gas taking into account … regional tariffs for the Armenian economy to maintain its efficient position,” Sarkisian told reporters after his meeting with Putin.
Russia’s gas giant Gazprom earlier last month had announced that it would raise prices from $180 per 1,000 cubic meters to $280 from October 2012 and to $320 from 2013.
While the figures of the agreement were not released, Sarkisian in his remarks said that Putin had “confirmed that Russia is interested in having a strong, competitive and developed Armenia. This is a truly allied approach.”
High on the agenda was Russia’s proposed customs union, which includes Belarus and Kazakhstan. Russia has been eager to involve Armenia in its push to create a closely-bound grouping of former Soviet states in what Putin calls “integration processes in the post-Soviet era.”
Armenia has been reluctant to join the union because it does not share a common border with Russia. Putin said that while “we have no common borders [with Armenia] but we could think about using some instruments that have already been agreed upon by the three states.”
In his remarks, Sarkisian emphasized Yerevan’s strong commitment to the Collective Security Treaty Organization and praised Russia’s important role in the South Caucasus.
“Armenia has always aimed to create a stable and peaceful situation in the South Caucasus. Our long-term policy of securing a peaceful resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been based on that. We believe that Russia plays a singular role in the security of the South Caucasus. This also relates to the resolution of the Karabakh conflict,” said Sarkisian at the joint press conference.
There must have been much more important political problems tackled by the 2 presidents which we are not aware of. I don’t trust Russia. But then again I don’t trust the west neither…
Historically, Russia has always been a close friend and supporter of Armenia which is much appreciated by the Armenians around the world. Long live Russia and Armenia.
“we have no common borders [with Armenia] but we could think about using some instruments that have already been agreed upon by the three states.”
Russia can fix this problem by dismantling the artificial Sultanate of Azerbaijan created by Kemalist Turkey and allowing the native peoples of these lands to create their own states.
Until that happens charging blockaded Armenia a “market price” is like charging your sick and underemployed brother a restaurant price for a homemade shashlyk.
I agree with MSK…. what we hear fron these officials has no any relevance whatsoever to the real issues discussed agreed or disagreed upon they might as well say nothing….the wordings are the true picture of my gutt feelings….NO SUBSTANCE AT ALL…BOTH PARTIES HAVE AGREED UPON THIS GIVEN STORY…
Armenia should play its cards right. It should be a very active member in the Eurasian Union for historical, cultural, and economic reasons. But we should also work on the DCFTA and bringing Armenia to the standards of the European Union, which are quite enviable economically and socially. It is a balancing act and hopefully we can be apart of both in some way or another.
The Hayastan politicians should remember that the EU played a major role in building the Azeri oil pipeline and they depend on Azeri oil as an alternative to Russian oil. The EU is a dysfunctional system that will eventually be dismantled because Germany is bullying smaller EU countries. There is no real unity and we see how the EU is treating Greece.. Russia has no saint either but they atleast have strategic interests in protecting Armenia to curb Turk control and to prevent the union of Azerbajian to Turkey which would be a disaster for Russia. This could lead to a uprising of various Turkic groups in Tartarstan,Kabardino-Balkaria,Dagastan, Inguishetia and Chechnya which clearly like Turkey and Azerbajian. Joining the Eurasian Union will benefit Armenia greatly.
The EU wants to make” peace ” between Azerbaijan and Turkey and Armenia so that it can expand the number of oil pipelines coming from Azerbaijan . The EU will want Armenia to open borders with Turkey and this will destroy Armenia because Turkey will hijack the Armenia economy. The goal of Turkey is to Turkify Armenia and that is exactly what will happen.
Turkey will NEVER “Turkify” Armenia. This is a population that has been through the Persian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Soviet Union. We might change foods, clothes, and hairstyles, but we will never change who we are. Just look at the population- majority of the people in Armenia are Christian Armenians. Why you ask? Because we are the TRUE ARYAN and we will NEVER ALLOW a Turkish Mongol to come between us!
I can’t agree more John…Than Kotcharian and Osganian team should come back to power…incidently Sargesyan and Nalbantian tried to do something in the same tune as did the LTP’s team only much more professionally it seems to me the interests of Armenia is with the north south relations no matter how questionable that could be…..our past experience with the west can’t be any better this time around… even if we want to believe that the political iscenarios are being changed and the so called the new middle east hypocrycies will be any beneficial to the Armenians at all….
Serbia was not right and did act against self-determination of Kosovo but any way allowing The West/Nato to manipulate UN and start bombing Serbia was the biggest mistake of Russian federation for EVER —
The truth is that British Empire (UK) still is fallowing the OLD PLAN to destroy Russian Federation that is way whoever being regarded as friend or ally of Russian Federation beaning regarded by British Empire (UK and its corrupt stellate Islamic , Islamic fascist regimes as well Islamic banana Klaifats as the enemy ) as the enemy of British Empire ! The support of British Empire for the terrorists and criminal bandits In Syria (Syrian regime is not ok either!! –but much modern and better than corrupt and back warded regime in Saudi Arabia ! ) is the best proof of hostile policy pursued British Empire and CO for the destroying of Russia (the final goal!)- In all this plans, plots and political games Turkey is a tool..
Russia would lose in 20 or 20 years if doesn´t start to act
No Russia in the Caucasus means no Armenia in the Caucasus. Armenians need to end their EUrotic fantasies and American dreams and realize that Armenia’s future is tied to that of Russia’s. Armenia is a Eurasian nation – genetically, culturally, historically and geographically. Armenia will join the Eurasian Union once Tbilisi is cleansed of its Anglo-American-Zionist-Turkic infection. God bless Mother Russia, God bless our Hayrenik!
In order for Armenia to join the EU, it must have open borders with Turkey and Azerbajian.The Azeris openly state that Armenian belongs to them and they not only want Nagorno Karabagh but also Armenia. The Turks think similarly. There will never be peace between the Turks and the Armenians so such kindergarden fantasies need to be forgotten. These Azeri and Turk barbarians have the same caveman mentality that they had 1000 years ago.. They are Mongols with an invader mentality.