EAEU is an economic union that should not have a political and, even more so, a geopolitical agenda - Nikol Pashinyan

ArmInfo. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated in the regular session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Saint Petersburg.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov also took part in the session.

First, the narrow-format, and then the extended-format sessions took place, in which the Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade of the Islamic Republic of Iran Abbas Aliabadi also participated.

Before the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, a free trade agreement was signed today between EAEU member states and Iran.  It was signed by the deputy prime ministers of the EAEU countries, Mher Grigoryan from the Armenian side, and Abbas Aliabadi from the Iranian side.

Prime Minister Pashinyan delivered a speech at the extended-format session, in which he particularly said,

"Dear Heads of State,

Dear members of delegations,

I am glad to welcome you at the session of the Eurasian Economic Supreme Council, during which we will summarize the work done this year and outline the ways of further development of the Eurasian Economic Union.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to thank the Russian side and the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, for organizing today's event at the highest level.

From January 1, 2024, the Republic of Armenia takes over the presidency of the EAEU bodies from the Russian Federation, in connection with which we hope for the support and effective cooperation of the member states in the implementation of the tasks set before us.

It is symbolic that the presidency of Armenia coincides with the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on the EAEU, which is based on the fundamental provision that the EAEU is an economic union that should not have a political and, even more so, a geopolitical agenda.

We continue to perceive it as such and in this context develop cooperation within the framework of our economic cooperation, striving to prevent all attempts to politicize Eurasian integration.  The EAEU and its economic principles should not be linked to political ambitions.

The fundamental freedoms of trade and integration cannot and should not be restricted for political reasons, this will definitely lead to the corrosion of the fundamental principles of the Union.

In this context, the Armenian side attaches importance to the signing of the declaration on the further development of economic processes until 2030 and 2045, which is based on the conceptual and priority directions of medium-term and long-term development of EAEU.

The Armenian side welcomes the signing of the free trade agreement with Iran. The signing of a full- fledged agreement will contribute to the strengthening of trade-economic, logistic and transport ties with Iran and will provide an opportunity to create a solid contractual basis for joint ventures.

Dear Colleagues,

At the same time, a number of unsolved issues of a fundamental nature have accumulated within the EAEU. I consider it appropriate to mention the high-priority need to reach fundamental solutions regarding the harmonization of the approaches, principles and mechanisms of the operation of the common energy markets by the member states.

In this context, we are ready to take a flexible approach to ensure the balance of interests of the EAEU member states on unresolved issues, for availing ourselves of the advantages and potential of the EAEU common energy markets.

I also consider it necessary to expand the fields of integrated cooperation in the field of increasing energy efficiency and development of renewable energy.

Another fundamentally important issue is the introduction of digital technologies into the practical activities of state business processes with the active involvement of the IT communities of our countries.

This area is of particular importance, in particular, in light of the practical applications of artificial intelligence, which creates new opportunities for faster collection and effective analysis of economic activity data.

The responsible use of the potential of artificial intelligence can also be an additional incentive for the development of economic cooperation within the EAEU.

It is known that the lack of a common border with the countries of the Union creates certain difficulties and economic costs for Armenia. This is a challenge for Armenia, but at the same time a unique opportunity for EAEU. If we manage to ensure uninterrupted transport, transit and administration through modern technologies, we will have a unique opportunity to develop EAEU relations with interested third countries.

Another effective tool can be the introduction of modern systems of digital traceability of goods and cargo, including mutual recognition of electronic signatures, which guarantees the implementation of the "four freedoms" without creating additional barriers, thereby providing a technical basis for effective cooperation within the EAEU.

It is important for these systems to be modern, efficient and remove existing barriers rather than creating new ones.

Dear participants of the session,

At this difficult moment for all of us, efforts should be focused on maximizing the influence of the EAEU, taking into account the national priorities of socio-economic development.

In conclusion, I would like to thank everyone once again for the active cooperation in 2023 and, taking this opportunity, dear colleagues, to congratulate everyone on the upcoming New Year and wish peace and prosperity to our countries.

Thanks for attention".