On April 29, Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan left for Kazan to attend a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council. Nikol Pashinyan met with RF Premier Mikhail Mishustin in Kazan.

Greeting Nikol Pashinyan, Mikhail Mishustin said:
“ Nikol Vovayevich,
Dear colleagues,

I am delighted to see you in the Russian Federation, in Kazan, the capital city of Tatarstan, for a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council.

First of all, I would like to convey warms greetings and best regards from President of Russia Vladimir Putin.

We value our fraternal relations with Armenia, our allied and strategic relations that go back decades. Next year we will celebrate 30 years of our diplomatic relations and 25 years of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation with Armenia.

The measures that the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia adopted after the end of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh on 9 November 2020 and 11 January 2021 offered broad opportunities for join activities. We should begin by unblocking all economic and transport communications and creating new infrastructure routes. This will create conditions for the sustainable development of the South Caucasus.

Russia is helping. We are providing extensive humanitarian assistance. The Interdepartmental Humanitarian Response Centre is working to create conditions for the return of refugees to their homes and the subsequent restoration of the infrastructure.

Russia remains the leading partner of Armenia. Our joint companies are implementing ambitious economic projects. Regrettably, COVID-19 had an adverse impact on the dynamics of our bilateral trade turnover: last year it declined by approximately 10 percent to some USD2.3 billion. This is definitely not good enough. I suggest instructing our intergovernmental commission – the Russian co-chair is Alexei Overchuk, who you know very well – to work out new initiatives aimed at boosting trade and mutual investment with Armenia.

We are also working together energetically to put an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have sent test kits and reagents to Armenia, and now we are sending supplies of the Sputnik V vaccine.

I would like to thank you for using the Travelling without COVID-19 mobile application, created by the Eurasian Development Bank, for trips by Armenian citizens to Russia. This is a very positive trend. After all, we are simplifying the travel procedure for our citizens to travel between our countries.

We are also working closely within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union. The four freedoms – the free movement of goods, services, capital and workforce – are on our agenda. I am confident that the deepening of Eurasian integration is in the best interests of citizens and businesses in Russia and Armenia.

Mr Pashinyan, I am prepared to discuss with you topical issues, including our bilateral agenda. Please, you have the floor.”

Thankful for the warm welcome, Nikol Pashinyan said:
“Mikhail Vladimirovich.
Rustam Nurgaliyevich,
Dear colleagues,

I am very glad to meet with you today. This is my first time in Tatarstan. We all know that this is one of Russia’s most significant and developed regions.

I am convinced that effective decisions will be made and meaningful discussions will take place during our talks at the meeting of the EAEU Intergovernmental Council.

As you mentioned above, our bilateral relations are making good, steady progress. The strategic relationship between the Russian Federation and Armenia is deepening. It is easy to see that our bilateral relations have intensified, and this is a very good factor for regional stability.

I would like to make special mention of the role that Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin played in ending the war in Nagorno-Karabakh. I wish to emphasize and it seems to be obvious that the Russian peacekeepers’ efforts in Nagorno-Karabakh are highly effective.

You were right to state that as headed by the deputy prime ministers of the Russian Federation, Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Trilateral Commission is already working. We abide by constructive approaches in this regard. But I want to note that, unfortunately, Azerbaijan has not yet fulfilled a very important clause of the November 9 Statement signed by the President of Russia, the Prime Minister of Armenia and the President of Azerbaijan. I mean the return of prisoners of war, hostages and other detainees. I would like to thank the Russian Federation for the effort it is putting in to resolve this issue.

We highly appreciate the work done by the Trilateral Commission, since the opening of regional transport corridors can bring about drastic changes in the economic situation in our region, in general, and help deepen economic integration between the Russian Federation and Armenia, in particular. In this regard, I would like to highlight the extremely important and constructive role played by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk.

We very much appreciate their efforts, and I hope that this work will lead to specific results. It is clear to everyone that this is important for the region in a broader sense, because here we are talking about restoring ties between the Persian Gulf and the Black Sea, the Persian Gulf and the Russian Federation. This may be a powerful economic factor for the development of the Eurasian Economic Union.

I wish to once again emphasize that we are constructive in this matter, and I hope that the ongoing activities will lead to concrete results that will bring stability, peace and prosperity to our region.”

Nikol Pashinyan and Mikhail Mishustin referred to the post-war situation around Nagorno-Karabakh and humanitarian issues. The repatriation of Armenian prisoners of war was touched upon during the conversation. The parties discussed the agenda of Armenian-Russian strategic relations in both bilateral and multilateral formats. They also touched upon the trends of economic interaction and the intensification of trade turnover. Prospects for expanding cooperation in healthcare, tourism, infrastructure and other spheres of mutual interest were discussed in this context.

The interlocutors briefed each other on the respective steps taken to overcome the global pandemic and the pace of economic recovery. The issue of purchasing new lots of Russian vaccine was raised. Reference was made to the possibility of boosting tourist flows between the two countries.

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Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is in Kazan on a working visit, took part in the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council’s narrow-format meeting.

A number of issues on the agenda of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council were discussed during the meeting.

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Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan continues his working visit to Kazan, which is hosting the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council’s regular session. On April 30, Nikol Pashinyan took part in the expanded-format meeting of the EAEU Intergovernmental Council. Note that a narrow-format sitting was held on April 29.

Today’s meeting was attended by the heads of governments of EAEU-member states: RF Premier Mikhail Mishustin, Prime Minister of Belarus Roman Golovchenko, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin, Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Ulukbek Maripov, and Eurasian Economic Commission Board Chairman Mikhail Myasnikovich.

In attendance were the heads of government from observer nations: Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov and Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova Aureliu Ciocoi (via video link), as well as official delegations from invited countries: Prime Minister of Tajikistan Kokhir Rasulzoda and Deputy Prime Minister of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov. A video message from the Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba, Manuel Cruz was presented during the meeting.

The Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia stated in his remarks:
“Dear Heads of Government,
Distinguished meeting participants,

First of all, I would like to sincerely thank Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin for high-level organization of this regular meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council and for traditional hospitality. I would also like to express my gratitude to President Rustam Nurgalievich Minnikhanov of the Republic of Tatarstan for the warm welcome.

I offer my sincere greetings to the heads of government of EAEU observer states: Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov and Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova Aureliu Ciocoi who attends the meeting online.

I am pleased to welcome Tajikistan Prime Minister Kohir Rasulzoda and Turkmenistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Gurbangulyevich Berdimuhamedov.

Friends, yesterday we had a detailed exchange of views on all key issues on our agenda. Today I would like to briefly touch on some of them, which we consider topical for the Union.

The functioning of the EAEU, which has given an additional impetus to the development of economic cooperation between the member states on a qualitatively new basis, is moving forward against the backdrop of new global challenges, which have slowed down the pace of interstate integration, as a whole. I mean the restrictions caused by the pandemic, as well as the coincidental or subsequent transformation of the global economy, where high technologies have become ever more important.

The need for a comprehensive study and identification of areas that have the greatest reserves of practical cooperation comes to the fore in terms of adaptation. In particular, the new environment has revealed the need for cooperation in the fields of public healthcare, education and in the social sphere.

2020 revealed a broad range of new tasks, which seek to streamline key areas such as the functioning of the internal market, the regulation of exports and imports of specific types of sensitive goods.
From the perspective of further disclosure of the Union’s integration potential, we should also consider the interstate program on outer space, which we discussed yesterday. I am convinced that the result will not be long in coming.

Dear participants,

Mindful of the imperative to deal with the priority tasks of integration, I would like to highlight the document, which is being considered today, referred to as The Main Directions of Industrial Cooperation within the EAEU until 2025. I think it appropriate to reiterate that the industrial sector is one of the main locomotives of the Union's economic system.

The establishment of a full-fledged single market of goods is practically impossible without a coordinated policy in this direction. We believe it is important to continue working to deepen industrial cooperation and coordinate national policies. Of course, we are also interested in increasing the competitiveness of products manufactured in the EAEU on both domestic and foreign markets. Consistent implementation of the main provisions of the document will contribute to the sustainable development of the industrial complex, as a whole.

One of the most important guidelines of the document is the joint stimulation of innovative development and digital transformation of industry. Taking into account the rapidly changing economic environment, the transition to a new level of technological development of economies is becoming crucial. Digital transformation continues to be one of the pillars of integration. We traditionally adhere to the opinion that cooperation needs to be deepened in this direction.

I am confident that the prospective completion of our strategic directions will help us implement a coordinated industrial policy and, in conjunction with other measures, will improve the competitiveness of goods produced in the Union.

Dear Colleagues,

In conclusion, I wish to thank all of you for joint work, and reaffirm Armenia’s readiness and firm determination to do its utmost to expand the scope of economic interaction and achieve consistent disclosure of the Union’s integration potential. Thank you.”

The EAEU heads of government discussed several issues on the meeting’s agenda, including coordination of measures to regulate exports of certain types of sensitive goods within the Union, measures aimed at protecting the agricultural market from hazardous viruses, as well as the extension of the serial product certificate for goods manufactured in Kazakhstan for export to other EAEU countries.

The Council took note of the report on the development of e-commerce. The main directions of industrial cooperation within the EAEU until 2025 were approved. Reference was made to the prospects for cooperation in the field of spatial services.

A number of documents were signed, including the Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Commission and the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The Eurasian Intergovernmental Council’s next meeting is scheduled to be held in Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyz Republic.

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On the sidelines of his working visit to Russia, Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today called at Innopolis Innovation City in Kazan, which is the first Russian city designed for IT professionals.

Nikol Pashinyan toured the innovation city to get acquainted with Techno Park’s activities and the technological environment. Mayor Ruslan Shagaleev and Techno Park Director General Renat Khalimov presented the goals and objectives of Innopolis, the ongoing projects and development programs, including the public-private sector partnership-enabled development model.

Opened in 2015, the city covers an area of 1200 hectares and currently has 3800 inhabitants. Infrastructure, economic, academic activities and services are based on information technologies and robotics. There is a special economic zone with tax incentives in place, which makes the city attractive for IT companies and startups. More than 360 companies are registered at this point of time. Comprehensive infrastructure is in place to facilitate the provision of different services: residential districts, kindergartens, schools, medical and sports centers, post and bank offices, etc.

Nikol Pashinyan got acquainted with the programs and working conditions of a number of IT-companies operating in the city. Taking the opportunity, several technological enterprises came up with proposals on developing cooperation with Armenia.

Nikol Pashinyan next visited Innopolis University to get acquainted with the ongoing academic and research programs, full funding for which is ensured by the state. The Acting Prime Minister of Armenia called interesting the technological environment created in Innopolis, noting that Armenia’s IT sector is dynamically developing and the government is eager to consistently improve the IT environment in the country. In this context, Nikol Pashinyan stressed the importance of sharing experience with Innopolis as a successful example of applying innovative technologies.

Prior to the trip to Innopolis, Nikol Pashinyan joined the Russian Premier and the heads of government delegations participating in the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meeting for a visit to Kazan Expo international exhibition center, where he got acquainted with the Center’s ongoing activities.