EU strives for Eastern Partnership’s compatibility with Customs Union?

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia and EU must shake off the logic of confrontation and attempt to achieve compatibility between the Customs Union and Eastern Partnership program, RIA Novosti quoted the EU ambassador to Russia Vygaudas Usackas as saying.

Earlier, EU stated that the Russia-led Customs Union membership is incompatible with the EU free trade agreement. The Eastern Partnership program envisages the EU’s close economic cooperation with the Eastern European countries. CU calls for Russia’s economic cooperation with a number of CIS states. Recently, Ukrainian leadership’s refusal to ink a deal with the EU ignited political crisis in the country.

Meanwhile, as a political analyst Sergey Markedonov stated during a discussion organized by publicdialogues.info, the Eastern Partnership project shouldn’t be written off, despite implementation problems and Russia’s criticism.

“There are several reasons: first of all, EU states are interested to continue cooperation with post-Soviet countries,” he noted.

“After the Vilnius summit, 13 EU states readied a so-called European package of suggestions reflecting current realities. No one can give 100% guarantees that the suggestions will work. However, the EU’s interest in stable partnership and its attempts to form a policy to support it are clear, as well as the reciprocal interest of the Eastern Partnership participants, despite inflated expectations of some and overly pragmatic approach of others.”

According to the expert, there’s major demand for cooperation with the EU and integration with Europe. However, he said, serious contradictions are also present, especially where the issues of national identity, regional differences and unresolved conflicts are concerned.

“The contradictions won’t solve themselves, so the EU-Russia dialogue is not only desirable but also unavoidable in this context,” the expert concluded.

During a Sept 3 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Armenian leader Serzh Sargsyan said Armenia is ready to join Customs Union, with further plans to be involved in formation of the Eurasian Economic Union. Mr. Putin supported the initiative, vowing procedural assistance to Armenia.

On Jan 23, Armenian government has approved the list of measures for joining the Customs Union.