Hrant Bagratyan’s advice in case of joining the Customs Union
“If the Customs Union gives us some privileges on some products, it will be possible to maintain economic ties with Europe,”- said economist, HAK Deputy Hrant Bagratyan while speaking about the membership of Armenia in the CC after World Alliance of Religions for Peace Summit in South Korea's capital Seoul on September 16-19. He says that we must try to get a good regime, and though now negotiations are on process, it is more likely that after October 10 an agreement will be signed with the RA. Mr. Bagratyan reminds that some days before Europe gave a big privilege to Ukraine- it can export its products to the EU with new customs duties until January 1st, 2016, but imports from Europe will be with old customs duties. “It satisfies the RF. It is a good example for Armenia and we must cling to it and while entering the CC we must ask the union to trade with European partners like in the past for two years. But I don’t know whether it will be done in Armenia or will be discussed. We must prolong, as it is possible that in 2015 the CC and the EU come to an agreement and we shouldn’t stay between them.” He is also against having the checkpoint with the NKR after entering the CC. What relates to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, he says, that it entered a new phase, “The phase when both the RA and Azerbaijan can destroy each other. That’s why I attach great importance to peace and agreement between Azerbaijan and the NKR.”
