The Customs Union is not an Imperial but economic project, believes Vladimir Lepehin, the director of EurAsEC, the member of Academic Board of the RAS on Eurasian economic integration.

“The Customs Union is not an important geopolitical project and moreover an imperial project. The goal of this union is to optimize commodities turnover between the member countries of this union”, - he said on Friday at “Novosti” International Press-Center.

According to Lepehin the response on Customs Union was conditioned by the fact that it was taken in the West as geopolitical project and the post-Soviet countries were put before the choice either partnership with the EU or with the Customs Union.

“Russia never posed question in this way though the Western countries accused Russia of it... Just the opposite Russia has always said that its priority is the optimization of the economic ties and for this purpose the doors towards Europe are not closed”, - he added.

Lepehin also mentioned that joining the Customs Union by Armenia is in its long-term interests.

“The decision by president Serzh Sargsyan made on September 3 on readiness of Armenia to join the Customs Union is outstanding not only from the point of view of the interests of the Customs Union and its member countries but also, first of all, from the point of view of the interests of Armenia”, - he said.

On September 3, following the results of the negotiations of the president of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and president of Russia Vladimir Putin, the intention of Armenia to join Customs Union in the future and to take part in the further formation of the Eurasian Economic Union was stated. Previously it was planed that Yerevan will sign European Union Association Agreement at the “Eastern Partnership Summit” in Vilnius, the purpose of which is the rapprochement of the EU with Ukraine, Armenia, Moldova and Georgia.

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