YEREVAN. – The one-month period, which was given to Armenia at the Astana summit on May 29, is already half completed, but the course of the problems for which the period was given is still unknown, Zhamanak daily reported.
“The [one-month] period was given to solve the Armenia-Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] border issue, yet nothing happens. So far, it is only announced that there cannot be a [border] checkpoint between Armenia and Karabakh. [But official] Yerevan is stating this; the others are silent. In other words, it is unclear whether or not they are ready to accept Armenia [into the Eurasian Economic Union] with such a claim.
“Logic suggests that they cannot accept [Armenia] if [Kazakhstan President Nursultan] Nazarbayev states that they should not discomfort [Azerbaijani President Ilham] Aliyev. [And] Armenia has shown that if they do not accept it, it will not take offense that much.
“Here the accountability falls upon Russia; that is, Russia is unable to ensure a ‘painless’ membership for Armenia. So, it will be difficult for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to lay the blame on [Armenia President] Serzh Sargsyan [for the fact] that Armenia is not becoming a member. So, Azerbaijan needs to be persuaded to withdraw its demand,” Zhamanak wrote.
The treaty on the establishment of the Eurasian Economic Union (EaEU) was signed, in the Kazakh capital city Astana on May 29, by the leaders of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. In addition, Armenia President Serzh Sargsyan participated in the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council and offered to sign a treaty on Armenia’s Union accession by no later than June 15. In response, Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev spoke about the letter by Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev calling to accept Armenia into the Eurasian Union only within the limits of the country’s internationally recognized borders, and not including Nagorno-Karabakh. But Russian President Vladimir Putin, for his part, stressed the need to sign a respective document with Armenia in the shortest period of time.
