MOSCOW, March 29. /TASS/. Armenia is likely to be left with nothing if it is taken in by the European Union’s empty promises about getting into the EU market and decides to withdraw from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the Russian Foreign Ministry told TASS, commenting on a report titled "Deepening EU-Armenia relations: More Europe in Armenia; More Armenia in Europe," drafted with the help of former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
"In accordance with the report, Yerevan needs to pull out of the EAEU, where, by the way, Armenia is the main beneficiary. However, it is not mentioned when and under what conditions the Armenians will be able to gain access to the EU’s common market. It may be the case that, by believing the European Union’s empty promises, the republic’s residents will get a one-way ticket to Palookaville," the ministry said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out that "it is impossible to shake the feeling that the European Union perceives Armenia exclusively as a cash cow for Europe."
"Moreover, they believe it normal that the country's interests and priorities are determined from Brussels," the ministry added, emphasizing that the report implies that Armenia needs to be torn away from Russia and the EAEU domain.
"The European Union and NATO do not care about the real needs of Armenia and its citizens," the Russian Foreign Ministry said. "It becomes clearly evident from the [report] conclusion which states that the republic’s pivot to the West is ‘a low-cost opportunity’ to transform the South Caucasus in order to address its (the West’s - TASS) needs. Armenia is assigned the role of just an executor of orders from Brussels and Washington."
Security in South Caucasus
The ministry pointed out that the authors of this report were putting Armenia’s socio-economic well-being at risk, as well as stirring up the military and political situation in the South Caucasus in general, while at the same time "themselves losing nothing."
"The document cynically triggers fictitious anti-Russian, anti-Azerbaijani and anti-Turkish phobias, which in their essence are designed to further disunite these peoples, rather than bringing them together," the ministry said.
"The security proposals defy all common sense. The presence of Russia’s 102nd military base and Russian border guards is the sole guarantee of Armenia’s sovereignty. It is dangerous demagogy to suggest that their withdrawal will somehow strengthen the republic’s military potential. When forcing to review the existing security system right now, the West offers nothing definite in return," the Foreign Ministry said.
'Brain drain' to EU
The Foreign Ministry warned that the introduction of visa-free travel between Armenia and the European Union would potentially lead to a "brain drain," or outflow of promising young talent from the former Soviet republic, thus affecting its development.
"The authors are seeking to hold out the prospect of a visa-free regime with the EU, which would lead to a substantial outflow of young and economically active people to Europe and have a negative effect on the Armenian economy and security," the ministry said.
"Take for example Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, as well as the Baltic states, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and others - which are already members of the EU - and whose population has been relocating en masse to take low-income jobs in more economically secure countries."