22.03.2012
Kazakhstan blocks EurAsEC reformation agreement signing
MINSK, 22 March (BelTA) – The agreement on the EurAsEC transformation into the Eurasian Economic Union was not signed at the Moscow summit on 19 March due to Kazakhstan’s position, President Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview to Alexander Gurnov, head and host of the program Spotlight of the TV company Russia Today dismissing allegations that the document had not been signed due to disagreements with Belarus.
According to the head of state, a question about the EurAsEC’s future came up as soon as Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan set up the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space. “We have agreed to meet in March to decide upon the Customs Union, the SES, and the EurAsEC,” Alexander Lukashenko said.
The President said that Russia drafted an agreement on the EurAsEC transformation into the European Economic Union. “Earlier we adopted such a decision to be in the Eurasian Economic Union starting from 2015. Russia suggested prompting the process. Belarus supported the idea, pointing to the part of the draft agreement suggested by Russia which said that our economic commission had the right to sign international agreements on behalf of its member states. We were not against it, but said it was unnecessary since all of us, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus, might conclude agreement on their behalves. The Eurasian Economic Union is an economic organization while agreements might be not only economic but also political, military,” Alexander Lukashenko said.
“We have not signed the agreement because of Kazakhstan’s position. Kazakhstan was against our, Russian and Belarusian, proposals. Kazakhstan stated it was no need to accelerate the process,” the President noted.
Speaking about the Single Economic Space, Alexander Lukashenko stressed that its three member states were ready for this and prepared all the relevant legal framework: “There were three such states (apart from them the EurAsEC member states are also Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan). Kyrgyzstan cannot join the Customs Union and the SES as long as it is a WTO member. Joining the WTO Kyrgyzstan zeroed its import duties. The protection level of our producers is high in the Customs Union.”
As for Russia which is almost a WTO member, the head of state said: “Even in the WTO Russia is not going to null its import duties. The country has reached agreements on certain issues and created protective functions.”
According to the head of state, a question about the EurAsEC’s future came up as soon as Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan set up the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space. “We have agreed to meet in March to decide upon the Customs Union, the SES, and the EurAsEC,” Alexander Lukashenko said.
The President said that Russia drafted an agreement on the EurAsEC transformation into the European Economic Union. “Earlier we adopted such a decision to be in the Eurasian Economic Union starting from 2015. Russia suggested prompting the process. Belarus supported the idea, pointing to the part of the draft agreement suggested by Russia which said that our economic commission had the right to sign international agreements on behalf of its member states. We were not against it, but said it was unnecessary since all of us, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus, might conclude agreement on their behalves. The Eurasian Economic Union is an economic organization while agreements might be not only economic but also political, military,” Alexander Lukashenko said.
“We have not signed the agreement because of Kazakhstan’s position. Kazakhstan was against our, Russian and Belarusian, proposals. Kazakhstan stated it was no need to accelerate the process,” the President noted.
Speaking about the Single Economic Space, Alexander Lukashenko stressed that its three member states were ready for this and prepared all the relevant legal framework: “There were three such states (apart from them the EurAsEC member states are also Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan). Kyrgyzstan cannot join the Customs Union and the SES as long as it is a WTO member. Joining the WTO Kyrgyzstan zeroed its import duties. The protection level of our producers is high in the Customs Union.”
As for Russia which is almost a WTO member, the head of state said: “Even in the WTO Russia is not going to null its import duties. The country has reached agreements on certain issues and created protective functions.”