On May 29 the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council will consider the draft
contract on the Eurasian Economic Union. This was said today by
deputy prime minister Igor Shuvalov at a meeting with Dmitry Medvedev.
Shuvalov stressed that the first and most important set of questions is
about the current Customs Union. This is a huge set of laws and
normative documents. "All the divergences should be removed by May
2014," Shuvalov said, adding that this is difficult work both on the
national and intergovernmental level.
A special section will address how membership in the new
integrational organization can be obtained.
At the moment, the unified economic space has three members - Russia,
Kazakhstan and Belarus. Kyrgystan also wants to join it. "The contract
provides for different stages and options for those who would like to
join our integrational union," ITAR-TASS cites Shuvalov.
Ukraine is one of the potential members. Kiev is interested in
cooperation with the Customs Union in a 3+1 format.
However, Dmitry Medvedev stressed that Ukrainian participation in the
project in the 3+1 format is impossible. He said that Ukraine should
either ratify all the agreements of the organization, or can only have
observer status.
When the content of the document about the creation of the Eurasian
economic union will be presented to the heads of state, the difficult
work will move to the level of national governments.
