VIDEO: Pashinyan and Putin at the EAEU Meeting

Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is on a working visit to the Russian Federation, participated in the regular meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Supreme Economic Council in St. Petersburg. This was reported by the Prime Minister’s press service.

The event was also attended by President Alexander Lukashenko of the Republic of Belarus, President Nursultan Nazarbayev of the Republic of Kazakhstan, President Sooronbay Jeenbekov of the Kyrgyz Republic, and President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation. Tigran Sargsyan, the chairman of the Eurasian Economic Commission, was present at the meeting.

First, the narrow, followed by the expanded meeting of the EAEU Supreme Economic Council took place. A decision was made to transfer the presidency of the EAEU to Armenia in 2019.

In his speech, Nikol Pashinyan noted:

“Membership in the Eurasian Economic Union is one of our government’s priorities. Trade and economic cooperation with EAEU countries has become one of the most significant positive factors affecting the economic growth and external trade potential of our country.

Thus, in the first ten months of 2018, the growth of trade turnover between Armenia and the EAEU countries has increased by 15 percent compared to the same period in 2017. During the same period, the volume of exports to EAEU countries increased by more than 22 percent, while Armenia's total export volume grew by 11.7 percent. The share of EAEU countries in Armenia’s total export structure is also increasing.

Armenia is interested in further deepening integration processes within the EAEU. We are also ready to exert all efforts to improve integration institutions and to find new ways and mechanisms for cooperation. In this context, I would like to note that Armenia welcomes the declaration on the further deepening of integration processes and supports the provisions of this document that define the philosophy of our cooperation and its main directions of development.

The new parliament will give the people of Armenia the chance to form a government whose activities will be aimed at achieving results as soon as possible in priority areas for society, particularly in the fight against corruption, strengthening the rule of law, and creating equal conditions for all entities operating in the economic and political spheres.

In conclusion, I would like to touch upon the issue of Armenia's representation in the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council. Guided by the principles of our partnership relations and a constructive approach to the functioning of our union, we are not insisting on discussing this issue immediately and making a corresponding decision. However, this is a sensitive issue for us, and we would like to keep it on our agenda for discussions to find mutually beneficial solutions for all.

And, in finishing my speech, I want to assure that Armenia is ready to accept the presidency of the Eurasian Economic Supreme Council and is happy to host one of the council's meetings. We will exert all efforts for the successful resolution of this important and responsible issue. I hope that in a year we will have a more cohesive union that will serve the interests of our economies, states, and peoples.

Thank you for your attention.”