Excerpts from the transcript:
Question: What did Mr Mishustin mean when he talked in his remarks about the need to tighten controls regarding the price of EAEU imports?
Alexei Overchuk: This matter has been on the agenda of several Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meetings recently, including the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission. It boils down to streamlining customs procedures. As you know, EAEU countries form a single customs contour, which means that the union has a common customs border. This is why we have been working on harmonising our requirements for estimating product prices during customs clearance, as well as making our customs authorities and the union’s commission more effective when exchanging the relevant information.
Yesterday, during the restricted-format meeting, we heard a performance report by the EEC minister in charge of customs cooperation.
Question: There were also talks with Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref today. What topics were on the agenda of this meeting?
Alexei Overchuk: There is a series of topics we always discuss at such meetings.
As you know, our Free Trade Agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran has come into effect. This is a landmark document since it de facto enables us to have zero tariffs on more than 90 percent of our trade inventory. Therefore, there is a mutual interest on behalf of the Eurasian Economic Union and the Islamic Republic of Iran to make this agreement effective. For this reason, the discussion focused on fine-tuning our implementation efforts. Of course, this will require some time, even though we are already witnessing positive momentum in terms of our trade with Iran.
Transport and logistics were the second major item on our agenda of this meeting. We looked into the details of building the railway linking Rasht and Astara and efforts to buy the required land plots. In fact, construction has already started. Feasibility studies are underway on land plots acquired by the Iranian Government. This is work in progress.
We also exchanged views on the geopolitical situation in the South Caucasus.
Question: How will this so-called Trump Route affect efforts to develop the North-South corridor? What is Russia’s position in this regard?
Alexei Overchuk: Let me start with the way we approach this matter. Armenia is our strategic ally, so if Armenia believes that this is something that works for them, we can get behind Armenia on this matter. If they believe that signing a declaration to this effect in Washington gives them additional security guarantees, this is also a good thing because we support peace process in the South Caucasus. This fully meets our interests. Of course, there could be certain caveats regarding these agreements, and we will have to clarify them together with Armenia and Azerbaijan.
I will be travelling to Yerevan next week. In fact, this visit was scheduled before it all happened, during the meeting in Altai. The matter in question is that there is now a regulation in the Republic of Armenia – a resolution of the Armenian Government – which, as far as we can see, runs counter to the Eurasian Economic Union’s norms. Mher Grigoryan and I agreed to have a meeting with experts to discuss our concerns in every detail. This way, we will focus on this issue.
Later, there was a meeting in Washington, followed by the signing of a declaration. Therefore, a meeting is likely with Nikol Pashinyan, where we will discuss certain finer points related primarily to unblocking the communications in the South Caucasus.
As you may know, there is a Trilateral Working Group composed of deputy prime ministers of Azerbaijan, Armenia and the Russian Federation. This group works to implement unblocking-related Point 9 of the trilateral declaration approved by the leaders of the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan and Armenia. It was discussing in detail the finer points of this process. So, it is important for us to know how far the parties have advanced in solving the problems that were discussed by the Trilateral Working Group.
A number of aspects are material to the Russian Federation’s interests in the South Caucasus, primarily from the point of view of developing rail communications.
As you may know, Russian Railways has been granted a concession to operate Armenia’s system of railways. Therefore, it will be important for us to learn if solutions have been found as regards the aspects that all those involved in the unblocking are aware of. If these solutions have been found, then, of course, the restoration of railways… I am referring not only to the Meghri stretch but also to the so-called northern stretch, Tavush-Gazakh. The reference is also to unblocking the Guymri-Kars road that affords an outlet to Türkiye. If all these problems are solved, we will pass over to feasibility studies and calculations. It will be necessary to analyse the economic aspect of these projects and launch the unblocking proper. But again, this will require trilateral efforts within the framework of the cooperation arrangement that we have maintained with Armenia and Azerbaijan.
I have a meeting planned with the Azerbaijani side late next week. I think we will also consider these matters. So, progress is in evidence.
Question: Are you planning trilateral meetings?
Alexei Overchuk: We will discuss this. If we are talking about restoring railways and improving transport connectivity in the region, the best option is to talk in the trilateral format.
Question: China and Russia have signed an agreement on aligning the Belt and Road Initiative and the EAEU. What is your estimate of this agreement’s results?
Alexei Overchuk: This work is being done by the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). EEC Minister Andrei Slepnyov is the person directly in charge of this job. You better ask him. I know that they are working and maintain contacts. Of course, they are focusing on digitalisation and interaction between railways in the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, and Kazakhstan, among other things. I mean, this is a comprehensive work that is being conducted.
