Armenia is on course to join the Customs Union with Russia, Belarus, and Kyrgyzstan by January 2015, after signing a “roadmap” in Moscow. Despite declaring its interest only three months ago, it may join earlier than Kyrgyzstan, which applied in 2011.
The news was announced after an official meeting between the heads of state of the three original members and two potential ones. The meeting also included Ukraine, which has observer status. Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov was present at the gathering.
“We welcome the interest in closer co-operation from the non-member states. We have approved the roadmap that will allow Armenia to join the union and the common economic area, and a similar document for Kyrgyzstan is virtually ready,” Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters.
The Customs Union, which seeks to gather all ex-Soviet nations to form a free trade zone to rival the EU, is the Russian leader’s project.
Armenia’s bilateral trade with Russia, its biggest foreign partner, reached US$1.2 billion in 2012 – a negligible amount for Moscow. Double digit growth has taken place, however, as the Caucasian country of three million people continues to recover from the effects of a severe economic crisis.
Armenia had long negotiated a potential Association Agreement with the EU, similar to the one that has been causing upheaval in Ukraine, but reversed course towards Russia in September, RT informs.
