Azerbaijan cannot join EEU without Armenia’s consent: expert

PanARMENIAN.Net - The President of the Scientific Society for Caucasus Studies believes it’s too early to speak about Azerbaijan’s involvement in the Eurasian Economic Union, Haqqin.az reports citing EADaily.

Russian political scientist Alexander Krilov said Azerbaijan has close economic ties with the majority of EEU-member states. The Union, however, makes decisions by consensus: the consent of all EEU member states is necessary to start the accession process.

According to the expert, expecting approval by Armenia is unrealistic unless the relations between the two countries are normalized. All the statements about Baku’s possible accession to the EEU will therefore have some declarative character, with no chance of practical implementation, he said.

Referring to EU experience, Krilov said the EEU expansion will not only provide new opportunities, but also create many problems. Therefore, in terms of future development prospects for the Union, the entry of new members must enhance its capacity, rather than increase problems and internal contradictions.

“Azerbaijan may join the EEU only in two cases: if Armenia gives consent to it, or if Armenia itself decides to withdraw from the integration union for one reason or another,” the expert said.

The Eurasian Economic Union is an economic union of states located primarily in northern Eurasia. A treaty aiming for the establishment of the EEU was signed on May 29, 2014 by the leaders of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia, and came into force on January 1, 2015. Treaties aiming for Armenia and Kyrgyzstan's accession to the Eurasian Economic Union were signed on October 9, 2014 and December 23, 2014, respectively. Armenia and Kyrgyzstan's accession treaties came into force on January 2, 2015 and August 6, 2015.