EEU membership threatening Armenia's security: Experts

/By AzerNews/

By Mushvig Mehdiyev

Despite the Armenian government regularly claims that Armenia’s membership at the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) will beef up its security, public concern is on the rise over the post-Soviet state's security.

Armenia’s membership at the EEU began on January 2, as the country decided to get into a same group with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Armenia's decision to join EEU was reportedly linked to an invisible pressure on President Serzh Sargsyan, who overtly ignored the European Union to integrate into the EEU. Moreover, Armenia's dependence on Russia, a key country of the EEU, was also shown in the country’s decision to say no to European Union.

Anush Sedrakyan, Deputy Chairmen of the Free Democrats party, said the membership at the EEU weakens Armenia's security.

"It deprives Armenia of the opportunity to negotiate with alternative camps. We are now in a Turkic camp where Kazakhstan, Turkey and Azerbaijan have a mutual support, while the latter two are tied to each other by political and diplomatic ties. Naturally, pressure will continue on Armenia," Sedrakyan said, adding that Armenia has lost its chance to join the international community.

Tevan Poghosyan, Member of Parliament from Heritage party said the issue of Armenia's security within the EEU affects both economic and political, as well as social security of the country.

"The Armenian nation must realize that the interest of any other country must not be preferred over theirs," Poghosyan said. "Armenia should be able to protect itself by its own means."

Armenia had a high level of integration into the international community and relations with European Union, World Trade Organization, before it decided to enter the EEU, said Arthur Sakunts, Head of the Vanadzor Office of the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly.

He added that the security of Armenia could not be defined within the EEU and Collective Security Treaty Organization as long as the EEU is confronting the world powers.

"Guarantee of Armenia's security, which it had due to its commitment to a wider international cooperation, is being limited now within the EEU and the country is going to be more vulnerable," Sakunts said.

Mubariz Ahmadoglu, Head of Political Innovations and Technologies Center, a political expert, said Armenia was just a tool in the hands of Russia to strengthen Russian’s stance within the EEU given the disobedience of Belarus and Kazakhstan on several issues.

Armenia's voting right as an EEU member-state serves to the interest of Russia to support the northern giant in any controversial situation to emerge within the alliance, said Ahmadoglu.

Armenia's EEU preference has been in a hot seat since its president announced a decision to join the union in September, 2013. Periodical criticism of the EEU integration came as the country's leadership failed to properly analyze the ongoing developments, particularly the economic slump in Russia.

The northern land is viewed as the chief country within the union, which can seriously influence other member-states. So, the economic experts in Armenia, including Ashot Egiazaryan, believe that Armenia's deepening dependence on Russia is not a progressive decision amid the ongoing economic mishap in the Siberian land.