Pakistan intends to join the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and is conducting preparatory work on this matter, Deputy Trade Minister Nasir Hamid told TASS.
“We are not yet negotiating with the EAEU, but we are carrying out preparatory activities and exploring possibilities,” he said. The deputy minister noted that Pakistan recently established diplomatic contact with Armenia. “So, we are still discussing this issue. Once a decision is made, we will be ready to move closer to the EAEU,” Hamid added.
Sources told TASS that Pakistan plans to recognize Armenia as a UN member state, which is expected to pave the way for Pakistan’s accession to the EAEU. The relevant procedures could take from several weeks to several months. “In any case, this is a foreseeable prospect,” a source said, emphasizing that the peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan has removed obstacles on this issue.
Since Armenia’s independence, Pakistan did not have diplomatic relations with Armenia due to Islamabad’s position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Additionally, Pakistan was considered a threat to Armenia’s national security in the country’s security doctrine.
On August 31, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar met at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in China and signed a communique on establishing diplomatic relations.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia welcomes the renewal of contacts between Armenia and Pakistan, calling it a “step forward.”
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Based on materials from TASS