Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU)

Russia to Help Kyrgyzstan Join Customs Union – Medvedev


GORKI (Moscow Region), April 23 (RIA Novosti) – Russia is ready to help Kyrgyzstan join the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan and its common economic space, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday.

“We support the resolve of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan to join the Customs Union and, of course, the common economic space. This will bring considerable benefit to the republic’s economy, particular enterprises and I hope [Kyrgyz] citizens,” Medvedev said after talks with his Kyrgyz counterpart Zhantoro Satybaldiyev.

A special working group on Kyrgyzstan’s accession has been set up and this group will have to carry out a “considerable amount” of work and prepare 64 agreements, the Russian premier said.

“I hope that with our support and our help, our Kyrgyz partners will be able to cover this distance,” Medvedev said.
Since January 1, 2012, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia have been part of the Customs Union, which allows for unrestricted movement of capital, goods and services across the three states’ national borders.

Russia sees the grouping as a stepping stone to a wide-ranging Eurasian Economic Union, and has even touted membership to Moldova and Ukraine, though Kiev has long harbored ambitions of moving closer to the EU.


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Nazarbaev told journalists that experts are now working on a road map that would allow Bishkek to join the group by 2015.

Russia in 2014 will start deliveries of weapons to Kyrgyzstan announced Shoigu wrote:BISHKEK, June 25 - RIA Novosti. Russian Federation in 2014, will start deliveries of weapons and military equipment to the armed forces of Kyrgyzstan, announced on Tuesday, Russian Defense Minister Gen. Sergei Shoigu.

That Russia will deliver in this Central Asian republic, is not specified, but in November 2012 the newspaper "Kommersant" wrote that Moscow has promised to Bishkek on rearmament $ 1.1 billion. According to the publication, it was not a loan, and for military support.

"On your behalf and on behalf of the President of our country, we consider the program to support the equipping of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic, and we have almost everything ready. I think we will soon end up matching the last formalities. <...> Within our country, our bilateral level we have all completed in 2014 and will begin deliveries of weapons and military equipment, "- Shoigu said during a meeting with President of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev

The Russian Minister Atambayev also conveyed the best wishes of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin. He said that shortly before the trip to Kyrgyzstan met with the president and discussed the issues that will raise the participants of the meeting of defense ministers of SCO member countries (held on Wednesday)

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Armenia Ready to Join Russia-Led Customs Union – President


NOVO-OGARYOVO, September 3 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia is ready to join the Moscow-led Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan and later take part in establishing the Eurasian Economic Union, Armenia’s president said in a statement Tuesday.

“Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan voiced Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union and take the relevant required practical steps, and later participate in forming the Eurasian Economic Union,” said the statement, jointly issued by the administrations of Sargsyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin after they met for talks.
Putin backed Armenia’s decision and “expressed the Russian side’s readiness to contribute to the process in every possible way,” the statement said.
Moscow hopes all members of the Customs Union would back Yerevan’s decision to join it, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday.
Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan have agreed to establish the proposed Eurasian Economic Union by 2015. The union is intended as an alternative to th
e European Union that will be mostly comprised of former Soviet republics.

At a time when Armenia is choosing between EU and Eurasian integration, there appear to be certain contentions between Moscow and Yerevan, including Russia’s raising of natural gas rates and planned weapons deliveries to Azerbaijan, with which Armenia is at loggerheads over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan have been strained for more than two decades, since the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a predominantly ethnic Armenian region, first erupted in 1988. The region then claimed independence from Azerbaijan to join Armenia.

Over 30,000 people are estimated to have died on both sides between 1988 and 1994, when a ceasefire was agreed. Nagorno-Karabakh has remained in Armenian control and tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia have persisted.

Putin and Sargsyan on Tuesday confirmed their adherence to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution by political means, the two leaders said in the statement.
The Russian and Armenian leaders also praised bilateral relations and said they planned to take bilateral cooperation to a higher level, also strengthening collaboration in the military and economic spheres.

Bilateral trade grew over 22 percent last year to more than $1.2 billion. Rail monopoly Russian Railways may invest about 15 billion rubles ($450 million) in the development of Armenian railroads, Putin told journalists.


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Vietnam Considers Joining Customs Union

Vietnam is considering joining the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang said on Sunday during his visit to Russia.
Asked if Vietnam wanted to join the trade body, Vietnamese leader said that “if there is a political will from our country’s authorities, as well as Belarusian and Kazakh partners, we will soon be able to start this process [joining to the Customs Union].”

Truong, who arrived in Russia on Thursday on the invitation from President Vladimir Putin, said that Vietnam’s membership in the Union would boost the import-export relationship between two countries.

Russia-Vietnamese trade turnover in 2011 reached $3.06 billion, up 55 percent from 2010. A total of 78 projects with Russian investment worth over $1 billion are being implemented in Vietnam. Russia is implementing 14 projects with Vietnamese investment worth $78 million, without account for the oil and gas industry, the Kremlin said.
The countries also cooperate in the tourism sphere.

Last week Kyrgyz Prime Minister Omurbek Babanov said that Kyrgyzstan had filed an application to join the Customs Union, a move that was supported by Russia.
In November 2011, the Russian, Belarusian and Kazakh presidents signed a declaration on Eurasian economic integration, a roadmap of integration processes aimed at creating the Eurasian Economic Union, which will be based on the Customs Union and common economic space among the three countries.


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