No one exerted pressure on us over the Customs Union membership and Armenia is still ready to initial the Association Agreement with the EU at the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius. The Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area is another matter. As for the AA, we are ready to initial it, as it does not run contrary to the Customs Union membership, Armenian Parliament Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan told media, Thursday.
On September 3 in Moscow, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan confirmed Armenia's intention to join the Customs Union and the process of the formation of the Eurasian Union. Vladimir Putin supported Sargsyan's decision and promised to contribute to Yerevan's accession to the Customs Union in every possible way. Afterwards, the two leaders signed joint statements. The Customs Union has been created within the Eurasian economic space for trade and economic integration of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia on the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"The EU representatives will be in Armenia tomorrow. They will have meetings with our leadership and adopt a decision to continue joint activity with the EU towards reforms. We keep on holding meetings and negotiations to further enhance the relations with the EU that meet Armenia's interests. The decision to join the Customs Union was not hasty. When the document will be ready, it will be submitted to the parliament. It is the Armenian authorities that determine the country's foreign policy course," Abrahamyan said. The speaker believes that accession to the Customs Union is economically and politically viable for Armenia. Abrahamyan is sure that Armenia can refuse to sign the agreement on accession to the Customs Union, if it founds that document disadvantageous.