Armenia signs up for Moscow-led economic union
AFP
AFP – 16 hours ago


Armenia on Friday officially signed up to a Russian-led economic union, cementing a deal that will see the former Soviet country turn its back on closer ties with Europe.

President Serzh Sarkisian signed the agreement to join the Eurasian Economic Union at a meeting of regional heads of state in the Belarusssian capital Minsk.

"We consider the Eurasian Economic Union as the fundamental format for developing the most predictable and profitable relations for our country," Sarkisian told the gathering.

The Caucasus nation of 3 million is now set to join Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan in the economic bloc when it comes into force at the start of next year.

The project builds on an existing customs union between those three countries and has been championed by Russian President Vladimir Putin as he seeks to restore ties between remnants of the former Soviet Union.

Under pressure from Moscow, Armenia last year ditched plans to sign a pact on closer trade and diplomatic ties with the European Union.

Landlocked, and cut off from trade with its neighbouring foes Turkey and Azerbaijan, Armenia is heavily reliant on its ties to Russia. Remittances from citizens living there make up a sizeable chunk of its economy.

It also counts on its ex-Soviet master for arms supplies for its festering conflict with Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorny Karabakh region.



Last November, a move by Ukraine to ditch key political and trade agreements with the EU in favour of closer Russian ties set off bloody protests that led to the ouster of Kremlin-backed leader Viktor Yanukovych.

Russia responded by annexing Crimea from Ukraine in March and throwing its support behind rebels in the east, but Kiev's new pro-Western leadership has signed the landmark deal with the EU and sought to sever institutional ties to its Soviet past.

another THEM and US .. >:(

its all about Russia being in control.. they lost a lot of face when the wall came down..

they like secrets.

they like knowing everything about the West and the West knowing bugger all about them

and we think the Middle East is the only problem.

I think the Russian Ukraine thing was quite predictable.

The EU/NATO has been gathering ex USSR countries under its wing for years and slowly circling Russia.

I think Ukraine was the final straw, think about USAs rection with the Cuban crisis and just imagine if Mexico or Canada wanted to form a union with Russia. Would USA sit back and do nothing ...No way Jose!

The best Ukraine can hope for is to become a non aligned country with no real ties to either side!

Putin is always at least six moves ahead of the west. More countries will continue join BRICS......the new economy on the block.

Russia knows that if it becomes Pro-European,
China will kick its arrse !!!
It's already pisssed that it turned-coat from Communist to Capitalist.

cods wrote on Oct 11^th, 2014 at 12:20pm:

another THEM and US .. >:( its all about Russia being in control.. they lost a lot of face when the wall came down.. they like secrets. they like knowing everything about the West and the West knowing bugger all about them and we think the Middle East is the only problem.

"Ignorance and arrogance are twins, they like to walk together"
Lao Tzu

The big philosophical, chicken - egg, question is who was born first.

athos wrote on Oct 11^th, 2014 at 1:50pm:

cods wrote on Oct 11th, 2014 at 12:20pm: another THEM and US .. >:( its all about Russia being in control.. they lost a lot of face when the wall came down.. they like secrets. they like knowing everything about the West and the West knowing bugger all about them and we think the Middle East is the only problem. "Ignorance and arrogance are twins, they like to walk together" Lao Tzu The big philosophical, chicken - egg, question is who was born first.

I thought the saying went,"We're born into a world of ignorance..", ...but, hey: am I attached to doctrine?

:-? :-?

Jasin wrote on Oct 11^th, 2014 at 1:35pm:

Russia knows that if it becomes Pro-European, China will kick its arrse !!! It's already pisssed that it turned-coat from Communist to Capitalist.

:o :o interesting comment

Redmond Neck wrote on Oct 11^th, 2014 at 12:33pm:

I think the Russian Ukraine thing was quite predictable. The EU/NATO has been gathering ex USSR countries under its wing for years and slowly circling Russia. I think Ukraine was the final straw, think about USAs rection with the Cuban crisis and just imagine if Mexico or Canada wanted to form a union with Russia. Would USA sit back and do nothing ...No way Jose! The best Ukraine can hope for is to become a non aligned country with no real ties to either side!

::)

Lithuania is now scared out of its wits.
Russia doesn't have a direct border with Lithuania but it does have a huge military base in a nearby enclave.

Putin is conducting what they are calling a hybrid war just as he did prior to Crimea. Everything from cyber attacks to military exercises to the latest psychological tactic. He has let it be known that ethnic Russians in Lithuania who, during the couple of years before Lithuania broke from the soviet yoke, refused to do their military service in the Red Army may in the future face prosecution under Russian law.

Russia may be supposed to be broke because of the oil price, but it is not stopping them from running a massive military exercise from the Arctic down through Europe into the Black Sea.

US troops are currently training with the Lithuanians but there is nervousness about how reliable NATO guarantees might be in the event of Russian infiltration.

I cannot agree with the perception that the Ukraine had a more legitimate claim to Crimea. It has been predominantly Russian for hundreds of years. It was Kruschev who put it under Ukrainian control back when it did not make any difference.

Also, Armenia and other eastern territories are wise to go with Russia. The EU and Nato are not going to come to their aid. Armenia has a significant non-Muslim population and is surround whack-heads.

As to China being pissed off by Russia going capitalist? China is a capitalist country, with an efficient one party system. The only thing they care about is profit and if the Russians can provide that profit the Chinese will cheerfully do business.

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Oct 11^th, 2014 at 12:34pm:

Putin is always at least six moves ahead of the west. More countries will continue join BRICS......the new economy on the block.

When do you predict the next World War?  I'd say 2020 or so....

In the 1990's I used to say the Asian Pacific Basin would be in flames - a pessimist would give you five years - an optimist ten... then came 9/11.... a distraction from the main game of economic competition that creates wars... but still a tinderbox for the APB due to its ethnic components....

At least we have an experienced core of a military machine..... to call back to the colours.....

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Oct 11^th, 2014 at 12:34pm:

Putin is always at least six moves ahead of the west. More countries will continue join BRICS......the new economy on the block.

Sure he is. Lol, Obama all but destroyed him simply by lowering the oil price to 40 bucks a barrel. Putin has been humiliated and is not now leading the country, he is being told what to do and is now a puppet.