Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan to launch customs union in 2011
Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan will launch their customs union in 2011, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters here on Saturday. Putin was here for the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) summit, which focused on economic integration and energy cooperation, as well as on a number of financial issues. The Russian president said he and the leaders of Belarus and Kazakhstan have signed the documents that provide the legal foundation for a customs union between the three countries. The customs union is an efficient tool for promoting cooperation within the framework of EurAsEC and will gradually take on new members, Putin said.
Note EU-Digest: Given Turkey's strategic position in the area, in respect to the Middle East and Europe, Turkey might be more inclined to participate more actively in the Eurasian Economic Community if their negotiations with the EU turn completely sour. The five countries which created the Eurasian Economic Community in June 2001 were Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. This past Friday the Russian foreign minister, Mr. Sergei Lavrov stressed the importance of developing cooperation between the United Nations and the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC). Russia is planning to submit a resolution on establishing such cooperation to the UN General Assembly together with the other co-authors. The Eurasian Economic Community has an observer status at the United Nations General Assembly. Mr. Lavrov also called on the UN members to support a request to grant the Eurasian Development Bank an observer status at the General Assembly
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