Lost and found borders

“I think it is clear why we have decided to become a member of the Customs Union and get integrated in the Eurasian economic territory. It enables us to build our relations with our strategic partner on a firmer platform. It enables us to get rid the hindering factors of trade. In the recent years intensive processes have been taking place in the framework of the Customs Union and if we don’t get integrated in this Union, new borders will be created for us that will include numerous limitations. This is an impermissible luxury for us. That is the reason why we have made a political decision to be integrated in the Customs Union.” This is a quote from the October 18 speech of RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan. “There are no precedents in the world practice to be a member of a similar Union without having common borders with the member states. In this case, the perks of the alliance vanish because the customs fees should be paid to a third state. As a result, the privileges become issues.”