By AZE.US
Moscow’s trade pressure on Armenia is undermining confidence in the Eurasian Economic Union and encouraging other countries to reduce their dependence on the Russian market, Azerbaijani political analyst Natig Jafarli said.
He made the remarks during a discussion with Armenian expert Areg Kochinyan on Pressclubs TV, a joint media platform of the Baku and Yerevan press clubs, AZE.US reports.
According to Jafarli, trade and economic ties between Russia and Armenia remain substantial, although bilateral turnover has declined noticeably over the past 18 to 24 months. Armenia’s role as one of the routes for parallel imports into Russia has also diminished.
At the same time, Moscow’s restrictions on Armenian products are calling its own claims about the advantages of the Eurasian Economic Union into question. The bloc was created to ensure the free movement of goods and services, but political disagreements are increasingly affecting trade.
“What is happening to Armenia today is also alarming other members of the Eurasian Economic Union. They will search even more actively for alternatives to reduce their dependence on Russia,” Jafarli said.
He noted that Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia’s other partners are closely watching Moscow’s actions. When trade mechanisms are used to pressure one country, other states begin preparing for the possibility that they could face similar measures.
Azerbaijan has also experienced Russian restrictions on agricultural imports, Jafarli recalled. At various times, Russian regulators reported alleged problems with Azerbaijani tomatoes and fruit and temporarily suspended shipments.
The analyst argued that such measures could be imposed on any country if Moscow believes its interests have been challenged. Producers in Azerbaijan, Armenia and elsewhere in the region should therefore diversify their export destinations in advance.
Jafarli said the agricultural sector must move away from relying almost exclusively on the Russian market. Entering European and other markets would require international certification, modern packaging and compliance with stricter standards, but it would also provide access to more profitable destinations.
“The days when tomatoes or apricots could simply be wrapped in newspaper and sent to the Russian market should be left in the past,” he said.
According to Jafarli, Moscow’s pressure could ultimately produce the opposite result. Instead of preserving Russian influence, it may accelerate the search for new markets and economic partners. The more frequently trade is used to achieve political objectives, the more determined regional countries will become to reduce their dependence on Russia.
AZE.US