Armenia interested in soonest formation of EAEU's common energy markets - PM

YEREVAN. Feb 3 (Interfax) - Yerevan is interested in the soonest achievement of consensus on the formation of common energy markets in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said.

"I view the formation of common energy markets as a major element of EAEU integration processes. In this context, I would like to note our interest in the soonest achievement of consensus on the outstanding aspects of a draft international agreement on the formation of a common gas market and to reaffirm the readiness for a constructive approach to their settlement," Pashinyan said at a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in Almaty on Friday.

Armenia prioritizes flexible, multidirectional approaches, laid down by the Rules of Access to Services in Interstate Electricity Flow, in matters of the EAEU common electricity market, Pashinyan said.

"The rules allow connecting to power grids of EAEU members via a country, which is not a member of the Union, in our case via Georgia, thus creating technical and legal preconditions for the conclusion of mutually advantageous market contracts," he said.

Kyrgyz Prime Minister Akylbek Japarov said, in turn, that the EAEU members might form a common gas market by 2025.

"I am sure we can coordinate our approaches with due account of interests of all member states and form a common gas market of the Union by 2025," Japarov said.

Despite outstanding aspects of the draft gas agreement, the EAEU members understand "the topicality and importance of this matter," he said.

"At this stage, it is important to continue joint efforts in the search for consensus and to eventually finalize coordination of the draft protocol amending the Union agreement with regard to the formation of a common gas market. The implementation of the EAEU's digital agenda is no less important. A target program of the development of an integrated information system before 2027 has been drafted and approved within its framework," Japarov said.

The EAEU consists of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. Moldova, Uzbekistan and Cuba have observer status.