Yevgeny Korchevoy, Director of the WTO-Inform Analytical Center, said that leaders of member-states of the EurAsEC and Customs Union will discuss the formation and development of the Customs Union in Minsk today. Membership of Ukraine, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan will be one of the topics discussed.
Korchevoy reiterated that Armenia's joining the Customs Union will need compromises on tariffs. The number of issues Armenia needs to settle will take years of talks, the expert believes. He said that the summit will see no breakthroughs, but may boost integration processes for non-members.
Korchevoy predicts that presidents will discuss economic cooperation, cheap loans from Russia, changes in the financial system, work of Central Banks to keep interest rates at 4-5%.
Vladimir Lepyokhin, Director of the EurAsEC Institute, believes that actions of the Customs Union in the light of Ukraine and Moldova's strive to sign association agreements with the EU will be the main topic. Commenting on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's statement, the expert supposes that the point was to warn Armenia that the process will take time and efforts.
Lepyokhin emphasized that presidents of Russia and Armenia had recently met and Armenia may take an active part in the summit.
