Prosperous Armenia Party welcomes formation of Eurasian Union amid caution of Republican Party

Prosperous Armenia Party welcomes the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin to form a Eurasian Union, Tigran Urikhanyan, Spokesperson and delegate of Prosperous Armenia Party at international forums organized by Yedinaya Rossia Party, told Liberty Armenia.

Tigran Urikhanian, a spokesman for the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), argued that Armenia is already part of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Russian-dominated military alliance, and has close economic ties with other ex-Soviet states. He said this can "serve as a basis" for Armenian membership of the union championed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. "However, that declarative program [on the Eurasian Union] : is not yet underpinned by pragmatic provisions; no proposals have been presented on the basis of which we could deliver a final verdict," Urikhanian told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). Galust Sahakian, a deputy chairman of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), suggested on Wednesday that the Eurasian Union will hardly ever materialize. He claimed that Russia is mainly concerned with forging closer economic links with the rest of the ex-USSR. Urikhanian disagreed with those who believe that the Kremlin and Putin in particular are keen to recreate the Soviet Union. "At the moment they are talking about the format of an international grouping," the BHK spokesman said. "Even if it becomes something like a confederate state, then we will demand that such a union be based on the equality of nations, states and peoples."