Nikol Pashinyan's Speech in Bishkek

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated in the regular session of the Eurasian Economic Union's Supreme Council held in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. First, there was a narrow meeting, followed by an expanded one. Prime Minister Pashinyan delivered a speech in which he noted, "Before addressing the key agenda issues of the meeting, I would like to note that the economic development of EAEU member states has been taking place under difficult conditions in recent years. The current situation, of course, affects the main economic indicators of all member states, and at this difficult time, we must concentrate our efforts to maximize the impact of Eurasian integration, taking into account the national priorities for socio-economic development."

"Despite the situation, I would like to express satisfaction that there is a trend of growth in mutual trade. The trade turnover between Armenia and EAEU countries amounted to more than $3 billion from January to September of this year, which is approximately an 80 percent increase compared to the same period in 2021. Dear colleagues, in continuation of our discussions in the narrow format on the key agenda issues, I would like to raise several pertinent issues for the economic union. An important element of economic integration in the Eurasian region is industrial cooperation, and we must focus our efforts on promoting all promising enterprises. In this context, today we are launching a new financial support mechanism for industrial cooperation. I am confident that this funding tool will contribute to the technological development of our countries."

"Together with the Commission, we have started implementing a roadmap within the framework of the climate agenda. For Armenia, the topic of 'green' technologies and environmental protection is particularly relevant. By developing 'green' energy, Armenia is actively tapping into renewable energy sources. Measures are being taken towards the decarbonization of the metallurgical industry. We are encouraging the use of electric transport in every possible way. Colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to food security issues. In this regard, this year indicative balances of important agricultural products have been prepared to ensure the stability of the internal markets of EAEU member states. This is an effective tool for quickly determining the needs and opportunities for reciprocal supplies within the Union."

"I also want to mention the work of the Commission on the formation of a portfolio of investment agro-industrial projects, which can serve as an effective tool for developing cooperation and import substitution. From the perspective of successfully implementing the Eurasian agenda, it is extremely important to find mutually acceptable solutions on all issues. In this regard, the Armenian side prioritizes the consistent implementation of agreements aimed at creating common markets for energy resources. In particular, the formation of a common gas market remains a sensitive issue for us. Thanks to a constructive dialogue and the pursuit of compromise solutions, we managed to achieve a high level of readiness concerning the draft international agreement on the formation of a common gas market. However, given the complexity of the process and the need to consider the different capacities and interests of countries in the energy sector, several unresolved issues remain."

"We are prepared to adopt a flexible approach to reach consensus and ensure a balance of interests of all EAEU member states around unresolved issues, with the aim of fully utilizing the advantages and potential of the Union’s common gas market. Dear colleagues, I would like to note that, as a result of this year, the Commission, together with the governments of the member states, has performed at a high level in balancing the Union’s internal market, ensuring a proper combination of national and supranational interests during this difficult period. In turn, the proper implementation of the priority areas of supranational regulation in the context of information security will create the basis for trust among member states. By continuing the transition to a digital platform for integrated information systems, we will be able to create the necessary conditions for building a robust infrastructure that ensures the free movement of goods, services, capital, and labor."

"In this context, we see a great demand for developing a systematic document that outlines new priorities for the development of the Union's internal market. I believe that such a document will reveal the full potential of our internal market, making it stronger. Another important direction of our cooperation is the development of trade and economic relations between the EAEU and third countries and unions. The implementation of the trade and economic agreement with China, the implementation of free trade agreements with Iran, Singapore, and Serbia, as well as ongoing negotiations around free trade agreements with Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, India, and Indonesia will further stimulate the Union's integration processes into the global economy. This, in turn, will lead to an increase in the volume of EAEU goods exports, diversification of external markets, attracting investments, and creating a favorable environment for international economic partnerships with third countries."

"In the context of successfully integrating into the global economic architecture and establishing mutually beneficial connections with third countries, we attach great importance to the main directions of the EAEU’s international activities in 2023. This document is a kind of 'foreign economic strategy' and speaks about the broad areas of cooperation for the coming year. Esteemed participants, it can undoubtedly be noted that our joint efforts yield practical results, and we feel the positive impact of integration, which is made possible by the well-coordinated interaction of member countries of the Union."