Speaking at the Astana Economic Forum on Friday, President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev proposed the creation of the unified Eurasian economic space.
"I suggest establishing a unified Eurasian economic space. It is crucial to adopt uniform regulations that will take into account the national interests of all participating countries," Interfax cited him as saying."It is necessary to create a platform within the framework of the unified Eurasian economic space where we can discuss and develop proposals on the development of the Eurasian continent and integration between its members," Nazarbayev said. "The Astana Economic Forum can serve as this platform," he said.The director of the EurAsEC Institute, Vladimir Lepekhin, told Vestnik Kavkaza that the first component of the unified Eurasian economic space will be formed in 2015 – a common energy space. "Regardless of the unified energy space, or in parallel with it, a transport and logistics space will be formed, by the way, such global projects as the Great Silk Road are being considered. The next direction is the formation of a unified industrial space," Lepekhin explained.The expert reminded that the strategy for the organization of the Eurasian Economic Space has a long history. "Nazarbayev has been studying the idea of a unified Eurasian space for a long time and it is being implemented at the level of Kazakhstan, and the other countries of the Eurasian Union are gradually connecting to it. This year Kyrgyzstan will be integrated into this system," Vladimir Lepekhin said.According to him, a unified Eurasian economic space will allow to achieve several goals. "The first is each country will have its national industrial plan. The second is joint projects with trans-Eurasian unified communications," Vladimir Lepekhin concluded.The editor-in-chief of Mir Yevrazii magazine, Eduard Poletayev, in his turn, described Nazarbayev's proposal as "a peacekeeping initiative of a practical character". "It is aimed at both the development of cooperation between the EEU and the EU, and on the implementation of the task of turning Kazakhstan into a transport and logistics hub of Eurasia," he said. According to Eduard Poletayev, transport and logistics areas should support the strategic plans of the EEU states.During the Forum, the President of Kazakhstan also proposed the creation of a free trade zone between the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union. "40 countries have already expressed their interest in establishing free trade zones with the Eurasian Economic Union. The signing of the agreement on establishment of a free trade zone between the European Union and the Eurasian Union would be really beneficial for both sides," Nazarbayev said."I think sooner or later we are going to do this, because it is good for all sides," he added.
"I suggest establishing a unified Eurasian economic space. It is crucial to adopt uniform regulations that will take into account the national interests of all participating countries," Interfax cited him as saying.
"It is necessary to create a platform within the framework of the unified Eurasian economic space where we can discuss and develop proposals on the development of the Eurasian continent and integration between its members," Nazarbayev said. "The Astana Economic Forum can serve as this platform," he said.
The director of the EurAsEC Institute, Vladimir Lepekhin, told Vestnik Kavkaza that the first component of the unified Eurasian economic space will be formed in 2015 – a common energy space. "Regardless of the unified energy space, or in parallel with it, a transport and logistics space will be formed, by the way, such global projects as the Great Silk Road are being considered. The next direction is the formation of a unified industrial space," Lepekhin explained.
The expert reminded that the strategy for the organization of the Eurasian Economic Space has a long history. "Nazarbayev has been studying the idea of a unified Eurasian space for a long time and it is being implemented at the level of Kazakhstan, and the other countries of the Eurasian Union are gradually connecting to it. This year Kyrgyzstan will be integrated into this system," Vladimir Lepekhin said.
According to him, a unified Eurasian economic space will allow to achieve several goals. "The first is each country will have its national industrial plan. The second is joint projects with trans-Eurasian unified communications," Vladimir Lepekhin concluded.
The editor-in-chief of Mir Yevrazii magazine, Eduard Poletayev, in his turn, described Nazarbayev's proposal as "a peacekeeping initiative of a practical character". "It is aimed at both the development of cooperation between the EEU and the EU, and on the implementation of the task of turning Kazakhstan into a transport and logistics hub of Eurasia," he said. According to Eduard Poletayev, transport and logistics areas should support the strategic plans of the EEU states.
During the Forum, the President of Kazakhstan also proposed the creation of a free trade zone between the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union. "40 countries have already expressed their interest in establishing free trade zones with the Eurasian Economic Union. The signing of the agreement on establishment of a free trade zone between the European Union and the Eurasian Union would be really beneficial for both sides," Nazarbayev said.
"I think sooner or later we are going to do this, because it is good for all sides," he added.
