Armenia will join a Russian-dominated customs union, joining fellow former Soviet republics Kazakhstan and Belarus as members, reported Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan along with Russian President Vladimir Putin after a meeting Tuesday, dpa reported. Putin told the Itar-Tass news agency that he expected a "strong impulse for mutually valuable economic development" now that the southern Caucasus nation has expressed a willingness to join. Armenia is also apparently interested in helping set up a Eurasian economic union. Putin would see such a group as a link between the European Union and the Pacific region. -- SPA 20:42 LOCAL TIME 17:42 GMT تغريد