YEREVAN. – In the context of the Karabakh conflict, the Armenian President’s announcements, in connection with the decision to join the Customs Union, mean that, between associate membership and Customs Union, Armenia chose the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization).  

Caucasus Institute Director and political scientist Alexander Iskandaryan noted the abovementioned during a live television link discussion on Tuesday.

In Iskandaryan’s view, it is difficult to say whether or not Armenia will actually become a member in the Customs Union. But he added that if this plan is brought to fruition, the status quo between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be confirmed. In his conviction, this comes to prove yet again that the situation will remain as it was. 

The other speaker of the live television link discussion, Azerbaijani political scientist Arif Yunusov, stressed that, to achieve Karabakh’s quick return, Azerbaijan is trying to be closer to Russia than Armenia.   

He added, however, that Serzh Sargsyan’s decision has made Armenia and Azerbaijan equal in the eyes of the West.

To note, following the talks that were held on September 3 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.