YEREVAN. – Armenia does not want to give Turkey any privileges after Armenia’s Customs Union (CU) accession.

Deputy Minister of Economy Garegin Melkonyan stated the above-said on Tuesday, responding to the query posed by Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Melkonyan recalled that the CU has a GSP agreement on trade preferences with Turkey (as opposed to a GSP+ procedure which Armenia has received from the European Union (EU)).

“Under the conditions of this procedure, the CU easily imports a variety of products from Turkey. But at our negotiations with the Joint Economic Committee, we argue the position that Armenia should not apply these privileges with respect to Turkey,” he stated.

He noted that Turkey does not apply for Armenia those privileges that are envisioned by the GSP+ procedure of the EU.

“The EU has specified for Armenia zero or a low rate of customs for a number of imported goods. Since Turkey is a one common customs area with the EU, it likewise is obligated to accept them; but it does not do that. Turkey continues to unilaterally fulfill its commitments before the EU. Hence, our position,” Garegin Melkonyan concluded.