Victoria Panfilova, Nezavisimaya Gazeta. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev read a lecture at MSU on April 28th – “From an Idea of the Eurasian Union to New Prospects of Eurasian Integration.” The speech was a continuation of the integration topic which was set 20 years ago. In March 1994 the Kazakh leader announced the idea of the Eurasian Union at MSU. Back then it was of no interest to his colleagues. Clearly, Nazarbayev was ahead of time. Today the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) is almost established. The signing of the treaty on establishing the new integration union is planned to take place in Astana in late May of 2014.
Nazarbayev suggested declaring the day of signing the treaty the Day of Eurasian Integration and to make Astana a capital of the union. He emphasizes that the EEU has nothing in common with the USSR and is not its mythological “copy,” as the USSR “completely filed as a history.” The EEU will be an economic project only – without infringement on political independence. “When I presented the project of the Eurasian Union 20 years ago, I foresaw that economic pragmatism would define success. I am a supporter of the well-known formula – at first economy, and then politics,” Nazarbayev said.
He spoke at MSU for the second time, choosing the scientific elite and students of the main Russian university as his audience. The current speech is a message for the future generation. “20 years ago I suggested the idea of a new integration union, the Eurasian Economic Union, in MSU. The concept was based on the truth which is equally understandable for all citizens of our countries. The common history, mutual economic approach, close cultural connection and closeness of people’s dreams give our nations a chance to build a new type of many-sided intergovernmental ties,” Nazarbayev recalled. His idea was underestimated by the majority of politicians of the CIS at the time, but today it is demanded not only within the Commonwealth.
Moreover, 20 years ago Nazarbayev said that Kazakhstan and Russia should become a core of the integration process which would lead to the establishing of the EEU. “Our nations have been living together for centuries, and improvement of good-neighborly relations meets the interests of millions of people. It isn’t influenced by political goals, even though there are many forces which would like to split us. Of course it is natural that Kazakhstan has priorities inside the CIS and in its relations with foreign countries. However, we believe that cooperation with Russia is the most important thing,” Nazarbayev says.
The most important part of the Eurasian project was the Eurasian Economic Society (EurAsES) which was established in 2000. It was initiated by Nazarbayev and based on the Customs Union. Along with Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan joined the EurAsES immediately. Initially the main goal of the organization was the establishing of the free trade regime between its members, a common customs rate, and a common system of unrated regulation. Many rules and instructions for cooperation between the members of the EurAsES were developed, according to the experience and rules which had been developed when the European Union was founded. Europe and the EU accumulated great experience in the sphere of economic integration. It would be a mistake not to use the experience in integration inside the CIS. The EurAsES work stepped beyond customs affairs. One of recent steps for establishing the Eurasian Union is the treaty on establishing the common customs space within the framework of the Customs Union between Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.
Speaking about the Ukrainian events, the head of Kazakhstan pointed out that he had studied in Dneprodzerzhinsk and felt pain about the crisis: “Ukraine was the second republic in the former Union, according to its industrial potential and its industrial base. It had many more opportunities for independent development than all the other republics. However, nobody cared about the economy and people’s welfare during 20 years of independence of the country. They were interested in politics. I think this is the main reason for the Ukrainian crisis.” The Kazakh leader sees the future of Ukraine in cooperation with the countries of the future EEU.
The deputy director general of the IAC of MSU, Julia Yakusheva, told Vestnik Kavkaza: “It is very important for Russia that in the context of the Ukrainian crisis and further geopolitical transformations the Eurasian partners confirmed their intention to complete the work on the EEU by May. Even though discussion of certain aspects of the future treaty, first of all it concerns energy and transport, continues, there are no doubts that the Eurasian Economic Union will be launched right in time.”
At the moment there are all necessary conditions for the integration project of a new level. The Eurasian Economic Union requires maximal interpenetration of economies, a shift to a common market without any obstacles and rate restrictions. Yakusheva thinks there are many benefits from participation in the EEU. First of all, it is an opportunity to boost competitiveness. An opportunity to join economic potentials and establishing joint productions surpass expenditures which appear at initial stages of establishing a major union.
There is a discussion of new possible members. “At the initial stage extension will be an additional stress factor. However, soon integration mechanisms will begin to work stably and the new union will benefit from accession of new members. Armenia will improve the transport and logistics potential; while the Armenian economy could benefit from participation in the Eurasian integration project. As for Kyrgyzstan, the work on its accession to the CU is taking place. The EEU has a great potential for extension, but it shouldn’t be sped up,” Yakusheva thinks.
