Friday, 21 May 2010
“Armenia is interested in EurasEC partnership progress,” RA Prime Minister stated
Involving heads of government, the 26th session of EurasEC Interstate Council kicked off today at St Petersburg’s Constantinowski Palace, attended by RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan led-government delegation in the capacity of observer.
The narrow-format meeting of the heads of governments and the discussion of cooperation priorities was followed by a meeting of 1+2+4 format involving country delegations.
EurasEC incorporates Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, as well as Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine as observers. The representative of Kyrgyzstan was absent.
The agenda included formation of common economic space, implementation of concerted anti-crisis actions, as well as questions bearing on next year’s budget.
In conclusion, the heads of government summed up the meeting by presenting their own vision of interaction and reporting interim progress in activities.
RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan pointed out that notwithstanding its status of observer Armenia has been keeping an eye on EurasEC proceedings as our country is interested in the process of cooperation. “We are interested in upholding and furthering interaction within the EurasEC which brings together our strategic partners from the CSTO. We can boast of quite effective panel and task force work inclusive of the anti-crisis fund and the hi-tech center. Armenia has come up with a number of initiatives and proposals of common interest. We are confident that these initiatives will help strengthen the existing ties of cooperation,” the head of the Armenian government said.
He evoked those projects formulated in the framework of the anti-crisis fund, including first of all the commissioning and development of “Nairit” and “Armelectromash” plants which arouse great interest among member-countries.
“The north-south railroad construction project has also been submitted to the anti-crisis fund. It is a sizeable project with both social-economic and political dimensions for which Armenia’s government is prepared to provide guarantees,” Tigran Sargsyan emphasized. He said to be convinced that the program will be of great interest to EurasEC members considering that the Armenian railways are currently managed by “South Caucasian Railways.”
The Prime Minister went on to advise that in cooperation with our Russian partners a hi-tech training center has been opened in Armenia recently. “I am hopeful that the EurasEC-member CIS countries can discuss the pace of these projects and the status of coordinated anti-crisis efforts,” Tigran Sargsyan said by stressing that based on a presidential decree, the government of Armenia has decided to allocate AMD 40mn in humanitarian assistance for Tajikistan.
The meeting was wrapped up by the RF Prime Minister Vladimir Putin-hosted working dinner.
Later today the CIS Council of Heads of Government will meet in a regular session.
