Фото: kremlin.ru
On July 27, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a telephone conversation. The call took place at Yerevan’s initiative, the Kremlin press service said.
Putin reminded Pashinyan of the need to hold a referendum on joining the European Union. Such a proposal to the Armenian authorities was included in a joint statement issued following the Eurasian Economic Union summit in June this year.
“Vladimir Putin reaffirmed his commitment to the Joint Statement adopted at the Eurasian Economic Community summit in Astana on May 29 by the leaders of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia regarding the actions of the Republic of Armenia aimed at joining the European Union. In particular, emphasis was placed on the need to hold a nationwide referendum in Armenia as soon as possible on joining the EU or remaining a member of the Eurasian Economic Community,” the Kremlin press service reported.
According to the Armenian prime minister’s press service, Pashinyan said that such a referendum could only be held after Armenia submits an official application for EU membership.
“Regarding the holding of a referendum in the Republic of Armenia on Armenia’s membership in the European Union, as referred to in the joint statement adopted on May 29 this year by the heads of the four EAEU member states, Prime Minister Pashinyan stressed that, in practice, such a referendum would only be possible after Armenia submits an official application for membership in the European Union and once the issue takes on a concrete nature,” the Armenian prime minister’s press service reported.
The two sides also exchanged views on “problems that have arisen in bilateral economic relations.” Pashinyan said that restrictions imposed by Russia on exports of Armenian goods contradict the legal framework governing Armenia-Russia relations and EAEU regulations. He called for “measures to resolve these issues.”
“At the same time, Prime Minister Pashinyan stressed the readiness of the Government of the Republic of Armenia to address these issues through open, constructive, and friendly dialogue,” the Armenian prime minister’s press service said.