Friday, December 9 2022 16:21

ArmInfo.Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan participated in the regular session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Bishkek, the capital of  Kyrgyzstan. 

According to the press service of the Prime Minister of Armenia, the  leaders of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union also  participated in the session: President of the Russian Federation  Vladimir Putin, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev,  President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and President of Kyrgyzstan  Sadyr Japarov. Abdulla Aripov, Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Observer  country in EAEU, also participated in the expanded-format session.   The leaders of the EAEU countries were welcomed by the President of  Kyrgyzstan at the Ala-Archa State Residence in Bishkek, after which  the Heads of State posed for a family photo.  First, the  narrow-format session took place, followed by the expanded-forma  session.

Prime Minister Pashinyan made a speech, in which he particularly  said:  "Dear members of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, Dear  members of delegations, I am glad to welcome you at the final session  of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council.  Let me express my  gratitude to the presiding party and personally to the President of  the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, for the traditional  hospitality and the organization of today's meeting, as well as for  the implementation of the priority areas, goals and tasks outlined  during the presidency of Kyrgyzstan.  I also sincerely welcome the  Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Abdullah Aripov, and  would like to express the readiness of the Republic of Armenia to  develop cooperation by implementing joint projects with observer  countries.

Before addressing the key issues on the agenda of the meeting, I  should mention that the economic development of EAEU countries has  been going on in difficult conditions in recent years.

The current situation, of course, affects the main economic  indicators of all member states of the Union, and at this difficult  moment we all should focus our efforts on maximizing the impact of  the Eurasian integration, taking into account the national priorities  of socio-economic development.

Despite the created situation, I would like to note with satisfaction  that there is a growing tendency in mutual trade. The trade turnover  between Armenia and EAEU countries in January-September of this year  amounted to more than 3 billion USD, which is an increase of about 80  percent compared to the same period of 2021.

Dear colleagues, In continuation of our discussions in the  narrow-format session on key issues on the agenda, I would like to  raise a number of issues that are relevant for the economic union.

Industrial cooperation is an important element of economic  integration in the Eurasian region, and we must focus our efforts to  promote all promising initiatives. In this context, today we are  launching a new mechanism of financial support for industrial  cooperative. I am sure that this financing tool will contribute to  the technological development of our countries.

Together with the Commission, we have started to implement the road  map within the framework of the climate agenda. The topic of "green"  technologies and environmental protection is especially relevant for  Armenia. By developing "green" energy, Armenia actively adopts  renewable energy sources. Measures are being taken in the direction  of decarbonization of the metallurgy. We encourage the use of  electric transport in every possible way.

Colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to food security  issues. From this point of view, in the current year, in order to  ensure the stability of the internal markets of EAEU member  countries, indicative balances of important agricultural products  were drawn up. This is an effective tool for quickly determining the  needs and opportunities for mutual supplies within the Union.  I  should also mention the work of the Commission in the direction of  forming an investment portfolio of agro-industrial projects, which  can become an effective tool for the development of cooperation and  import substitution.

For successful implementation of the Eurasian agenda, it is extremely  important to find mutually acceptable solutions on all issues.

In this regard, the Armenian side attaches priority to the consistent  implementation of agreements aimed at creating common markets of  energy resources. In particular, the formation of the common gas  market remains a sensitive issue for us.

Thanks to the constructive dialogue and pursuing the path of finding  compromise solutions, it was possible to ensure a high level of  readiness of the draft of the international agreement on the  formation of the common gas market.

However, taking into account the complexity of the process, due to  the need to take into account the different opportunities and  interests of countries in the energy sector, a number of unresolved  issues remain.  We are ready to take a flexible approach to reach  consensus and ensure balance in the interests of all EAEU member  states on unresolved issues in order to fully utilize the advantages  and potential of the Union's common gas market.

Dear colleagues, I would like to mention that by the results of the  current year, the Commission, together with the governments of the  member states, has demonstrated high-level work in the direction of  balancing the internal market of the Union, ensuring the proper  coordination of national and supranational interests in this  difficult period.

In turn, the digital transformation of the priority areas of  supranational regulation with the proper level of information  security will create a foundation of trust between the member states  of the Union.  Continuing the transition of the integrated  information system to the digital platform, we will be able to create  the necessary conditions for forming a solid infrastructure that  ensures the free movement of goods, services, capital and labor.

In this context, we see a great demand for the development of a  systemic document indicating the new priorities for the development  of the internal market of the Union. I believe that such a document  will enable us to reveal the full potential of our internal market,  making it stronger.  I consider the development of trade and economic  relations between EAEU and third countries and unions to be another  important direction of our cooperation.

The implementation of the trade and economic agreement with China,  the implementation of the free trade agreements with Iran, Singapore  and Serbia, as well as the ongoing negotiations on the free trade  agreements with Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, India and  Indonesia will give additional impetus to the process of integration  of the Union into the global economy.

This, in turn, will lead to an increase in the volume of exports of  EAEU products, the diversification of foreign markets, the attraction  of investments and the creation of a favorable environment for  international economic cooperation with third countries.

In the context of successfully integrating into the global economic  architecture and establishing mutually beneficial relations with  third countries, we attach great importance to the main directions of  EAEU international activity for the year of 2023. This document is a  kind of "foreign economic strategy" and talks about the broad areas  of cooperation for the next year.

Dear participants of the meeting, Undoubtedly, it can be stated that  our joint efforts bring practical results, and we feel the positive  effect of integration, which becomes possible thanks to the  well-coordinated interaction of the member states of the Union. The  passing year was a jubilee year for the Eurasian Economic Commission.  During these ten years, it certainly became the initiator of a number  of important decisions for the member states of the Union. In this  regard, let me thank all the members of the Commission, led by  Mikhail Myasnikovich, for their worthy contribution to the  development of the Eurasian Economic Union.  In conclusion, I would  like to thank everyone once again for their active cooperation in  2022 and wish success to the Russian side that has assumed the  presidency of the Union bodies.

Taking the opportunity, let me once again confirm the commitment of  the Armenian side to the principles and goals established on the  basis of the EAEU Treaty and the readiness for active cooperation  with all member states for the benefit of further promotion of the  Eurasian integration.

Thanks for attention".  During the meeting, topical issues of the  activities of the Eurasian Economic Union were discussed, ways were  outlined for further deepening integration processes, improving the  functioning of the common market for goods and services. A number of  decisions related to the energy and trade sectors were discussed and  adopted. A decision was made to start negotiations with the United  Arab Emirates on a free trade agreement.  The Russian side presented  the main priorities of its upcoming presidency of the EAEU in 2023.