Kremlin presents Moscow`s position on EAEU, Artsakh, and upcoming  parliamentary elections

ArmInfo.  Today, Armenia's participation in the EAEU gives it the opportunity to develop at a pace exceeding the CIS average. This was stated by Russian  Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov in an interview with Vesti  journalist Pavel Zarubin, regarding the republic's further  participation in the EAEU.

"You have integration in the form of the EAEU. And you're earning money there, quite a bit of it. And your membership in the EAEU gives you the opportunity to develop at a much  higher rate now, much higher than the CIS average, and certainly much  higher than here in the Russian Federation. And we're saying that at  a certain point, if you move forward with the EU, our two systems  won't be compatible. They're different integration systems, and at  some point you'll have to choose," Peskov said.

He added that Yerevan believes the EAEU isn't currently under threat,  and if such a situation arises, they'll consider it and weigh the  pros and cons.

"This is also a sovereign position. But, at the very least, it's very  important that Yerevan understands this," the Kremlin spokesman  added.

Putin-Pashinyan Talks

The Kremlin spokesman also said that Putin's talks with Pashinyan  lasted a couple of hours. "The conversation was frank, necessary, and  useful. The parties communicated their positions, particularly in the  context of the upcoming elections in Armenia and the trade and  economic cooperation issues on the agenda," Peskov clarified.

The Nagorno-Karabakh Issue

When asked how he understood the Armenian Prime Minister's statement  that Armenia recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan after  the Russian leadership had twice publicly stated this, Peskov  emphasized that the only thing President Vladimir Putin and Russia  want is for the discussion of this issue to avoid unnecessary  references to Russia.

"Because this is the decision of the leadership in Yerevan. And  Russia has absolutely nothing to do with it," the Kremlin spokesman  explained.

Elections in Armenia

Regarding the upcoming electoral events in Armenia, Peskov noted that  Moscow reserves the right to discuss the upcoming elections in  Armenia and the Armenian side's future plans with Yerevan. "Armenia  is a country close to us, with which we share deep historical roots.  We have a vast Armenian diaspora, over 2 million strong. Therefore,  the guidelines the Armenian leadership chooses for itself are a  matter of great interest to us. We believe we have the right to seek  clarification with our colleagues and genuinely discuss their plans,"  Peskov said.