Edward Nalbandyan: Armenia's EEU Membership is of Strategic Importance to the RA

In his interview to the Slovenian
"Dnevnik" newspaper Armenia's Foreign Affairs Minister Edward
Nalbandyan said that Armenia's EEU membership was of strategic importance to
the RA.

In the minister's opinion, the EEU membership provides
Armenia with a better and simpler access to safe product markets, the single
Eurasian Union market, attracting investments, establishment of industrial and
agricultural cooperation. We also have the opportunity for duty-free access to
the funding base, EEU travel corridors, simplification of migration regimes and
so on.  "I am neither a specialist,
nor an economist, but the advantages of the membership are obvious", he
said.

Speaking of Armenia's abrupt decision to access the
EEU, the Foreign Affairs Minister said that before Armenia had expressed its
interest to join the Customs Union and Eurasian Union According to him, it was
made public through several statements by the President, Prime Minister,
Foreign Minister.

The Head of the Foreign Affairs said that a Special
Working group was created with the participation of the Armenian Government,
Eurasian Union Commission representatives, which came to the conclusion that it
was possible to become a member of the Customs Union and then of the Eurasian
Union without common borders. After that in September 2013 they confirmed their
will to join the Union. In response to the question if it is possible to sign a
free trade agreement between the EEU and EU, given the discord between Russia
and the EU, Nalbandyan said that such an agreement is possible for it is in the
interests of the region's countries. 

"I think it is possible maybe not today or
tomorrow, but certainly later", he said, adding that he idea of free trade
area from Lisbon to Vladivostok was not a new one and was raised in different
capitals.