MOSCOW, October 7 (RIA Novosti), Daria Chernyshova - The members of the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan have no fundamental differences, though they might disagree on some issues, reflecting a normal workflow, Eurasian Economic Community Secretary General (EurAsEC) Tair Mansurov said Tuesday.
“It is too loud to speak of differences,” Mansurov said at a press conference held at the Rossiya Segodnya international press center.
“There are no fundamental differences among the three members of the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. There are some issues related to work cooperation – yes, but that’s it,” he added.
Speaking about new members, Mansurov pointed out that any government that wants to join the Customs Union has to submit a request, which is then considered, and a roadmap is later established.
“At the meeting in Minsk on October 10, Armenia will present the fulfilled requirements,” Mansurov said, adding that the admission procedure has been changed and any country, not only EurAsEC members, can now submit a request to join the union.
“The creation of an economic community, customs union – represent a consolidation of Soviet era economies, which allows us to develop each member-state and all the countries,” Mansurov said.
“We are a pole that can face global challenges in the global context. That’s why a post-Soviet space united by such well-elaborated, based on international integration structures allows us to do so,” he said, adding that the EurAsEC is member of the United Nations, and has signed over 40 agreements with international organizations.
Starting January 1, 2015, the EurAsEC will be terminated and replaced by the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). The Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan was established within the EurAsEC framework in 2006.
The EurAsEC was founded according to the Treaty on the Establishment of the Eurasian Economic Community, signed by the presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyztan, Russia and Tajikistan in Astana on October 10, 2000.
In January 2006, Uzbekistan joined the community, but suspended its participation in the EurAsEC's governing bodies since 2008.
