28 May 2004 14:23
Eurasian body to set up common economic space within 10 years - Russian speaker
Astana, 28 May: The member states of the Eurasian Economic Community [members are Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Russia and Tajikistan - the former Customs Union] will be able to form a single economic space within 10 years, Chairman
of the Russian State Duma Boris Gryzlov believes.
"The Common Market and subsequently the European Union have been in existence in Europe for 40 years. We hope to
follow the same path and carry out similar actions not within 40 years. I think we will manage to do it within 10
years," Gryzlov told journalists in Astana today following a meeting with Kazakh President Nursultan
Nazarbayev.
The Interparliamentary Assembly of the EAEC "should devote all its efforts" to its process, the State Duma
speaker believes.
In this regard, Gryzlov reported that he briefed Nazarbayev on the progress of discussions at today's session of
the EAEC Interparliamentary Assembly in Astana on unifying legislation of the community member states in the sphere of
customs tariffs, transport, power energy and education.
"These approaches guarantee that we will genuinely move towards a real single economic space within the
framework of the EAEC," Gryzlov stressed.
He also pointed out that the future of the community "lies in our common economic space". In this respect
he welcomed almost simultaneous ratification by the parliaments of four countries of the agreement on the Single
Economic Space, which is being set up by Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Ukraine.
"This was an important step by the parliaments to secure the success of this new organization," Gryzlov
emphasized.
[Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency] |
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