Armenian Government Adopts Road Map For Joining Customs Union

Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian (left) with Russian President Vladimir Putin

YEREVAN -- The Armenian government has adopted a preliminary road map toward joining a Moscow-led Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia.

The road map -- presented at a cabinet session by the Economics Ministry -- stipulates that a coordination commission and working groups will be established within a few days.

All related documents must be ready by October 10.

The Justice Ministry has been assigned to translate pertinent documents into Armenian so that the parliament can start discussions on their ratification.

On September 18, a coalition of Armenian civic organizations promoting European integration condemned President Serzh Sarkisian's September 3 decision to join the Customs Union as a "national humiliation" and pledged to fight for its reversal.