YEREVAN. – Turkey will sign a customs agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union, as it is in the interests of country’s economic development, Russian economist Iosif Diskin told Armenian News - NEWS.am.
According to him, Turkey needs to preserve its role in the market of countries that it has a long-standing relationship with, first of all Russia.
Earlier Turkish Minister of Economy Nihat Zeibekci said that his country is going to sign a customs agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union.
However, the economist predicts that the signing of a customs agreement with the Eurasian Union will not be possible in the near future.
“The practice of cooperation with President Erdogan shows that he is trying to get maximum concessions. Therefore, it will be a long story, but in the end of the day, Turkey will sign the agreement, because this is in the strategic interests of Turkey,” Diskin emphasized.
The economist believes the Eurasian Union will also benefit from the deal, as Turkey is a fairly large and rapidly developing country, and our interaction will be mutually complementary for the economy.
“This is a win-win situation for everyone,” he added. .
Asked whether the Eurasian Union could become an alternative to the EU, the economist said: “I do not know what Turkey will do if the Brussels officials bar Ankara from signing a customs agreement with the Eurasian Union. However, the recent developments in relations between Turkey and the EU may lead to a situation when Turkey would hardly care what the Brussels officials would say. It's hard make forecast, but I'm almost convinced that the EU will give Turkey the opportunity to sign a customs agreement with the Eurasian Union”.
