YEREVAN—President Serzh Sarkisian said a pro-Azerbaijani statement made by his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev will not create any obstacles for Armenia joining the Eurasaian Economic Union.
The Kazakh President, following last Wednesday’s signing of the Eurasian Union agreement, said the Armenia can enter the Union based on borders recognized by the United Nations, echoing a letter sent to him and the leaders of Russia and Belarus by Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.
Sarkisian told a gathering of the Republican Party of Armenia youth gathering Saturday that discussion of borders was wrong by Nazarbayev.
“What borders are we talking about?,” asked Sarkisian. “The Karabakh issue is not to be solved in the Customs Union. Who said we were going to enter the Customs Union together with Karabakh? This has never been on the agenda, and it’s impossible because at least under our laws, Karabakh does is not part of Armenia today.”
“Of course, what Nazarbayev said is unpleasant, but it can do us no harm,” said Sarkisian, adding, however, that entering the Eurasian Union would facilitate the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.
Opposition forces in Yerevan were quick to criticize Sarkisian for not responding to Nazarbayev at the Astana meeting.
Armenian Revolutionary Federation parliamentary faction secretary Aghvan Vardanyan told Hetq.am that Sarkisian should have responded to the “repugnant” statement by Nazarbayev in Astana not waited three days before reacting to it.
“He should have responded [to Nazarbayev’s statement] in Astana and asked him what connection does Azerbaijan have with this economic union and why was this issue raised there. Nazarbayev should have been made to realize how offensive his statement was,” said Vartanian.
The ARF legislator also questioned Sarkisian’s notion that joining the Eurasian Union might benefit the Karabakh peace process. Vartanian told Hetq.am that Sarkisian needs to explain exactly how Armenia’s entry into the Custom’s Union would facilitate the Karabakh peace process.
He added that Sarkisian must categorically state that there will be no customs checkpoint between Armenia and Karabakh.
On Monday, Armenia’s Economy Minister Karen Jshmarityan told reporters that Armenia has not joined any international organization together with Nagorno Karabakh, adding that he did not believe a customs checkpoint would be established with the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
The Minister said nothing will change after Armenia joins the Eurasian Economic Union. “The products made in Nagorno Karabakh will freely move to WTO and EU markets. This has never been a problem. Why are we now worried about statements by a President of a third or fourth country?” said the minister.
Why should we accept such a patetic man as our president?why should we cooperate with russians or turks?
because we cannot live without our neighbors? can we?
Too much undeserved attention. This may be helping the miserable nonentities. There’s been enough reaction, IMO. It may be better now to note that behavior, and remind about it later, when the time is right.
Yeah, but working with an imbecile such as Nursultan could prove to be a challenge in the long run.
Some of you have voiced opinions regarding joining NATO. I can tell you all right now…DREAM ON! After Armenia officially fully supported Putin and Russia’s incursion and capture of the Crimea (one of ten nations, including N. Korea), and its trouble-causing in the Ukraine, the West has no sympathy for Armenia (they simply can’t be trusted)!!!
Did West help Armenia during the Karabach war or Russia did?
and “West” itself if far from perfect to criticize Armenian politics which is yes, to be friends with Russia, the most powerful and close “friend”…………..
Azerbaijani has sea, big location and oil! Even first graders can understand that “West” is on their side, not ours since they still did not accepted Kharabach as part or Armenia or independent country……..
“friendly” Russia works against Armenia and Karabagh in more ways than the West does.
The Serjik and the RPA isn’t worried about anything that matters– Unless, of course, when it comes to censoring free press, free expression, directly and indirectly targeting social minorities, and most of all, preserving the steady flow of public funds directed into their pockets at the expense of everyone else and election rigging so that they can public gloat about being sure that they’ll remain in power for another 10 years– you know, the important issues.