YEREVAN. – We have learned that Armenia has managed to protract, until its Russia-led Customs Union (CU) accession, the discussion of recognizing the referendum in Crimea, Hraparak daily reported.

“The [CU accession] ‘road map’ will be ready in May, but it is still uncertain when it will be signed because the accession ‘details’ must be agreed also with the other CU countries: Kazakhstan and Belarus.

“There is no ‘identification’ between Russia and those CU countries on the Ukraine issue. Kazakhstan President [Nursultan] Nazarbayev said quite another thing, by recognizing the territorial integrity of Ukraine, the MFA, something else. And, nevertheless, Kazakhstan did not directly recognize the referendum, which likewise could happen in the case of Armenia’s CU accession,” Hraparak wrote.  

Following the talks that were held on September 3, 2013 in Moscow between Armenian and Russian Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir Putin, Sargsyan had announced that Armenia plans to join the Customs Union and subsequently engage in the formation of the Eurasian Economic Union. In December 2013, the “road map” for Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union was adopted. And in January of this year, the Government of Armenia approved the action plan for the implementation of this “road map.” And the formal joining is expected in May. Aside from Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan likewise are members in the Customs Union.