18 June 2004 10:27
Eurasian forum`s international authority growing - Russian leader
Astana, 18 June: Speaking at the session of the Interstate Council of the Eurasian Economic Community [of Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan - the former Customs Union], Russian President Vladimir Putin described
consultations among EAEC members on World Trade Organization [WTO] membership as "extremely useful".
"I consider our consultations on WTO membership extremely useful," said Putin. "I think that all
parties are interested in effective coordination on the issue."
"Such a coordinated approach to the problem is considerably strengthening our positions in a dialogue with
WTO," he added.
Russian President also spoke about the decisions on cooperation on the securities market as well as on the status of
the EAEC legislative basis, which is ready to be signed.
"The latter document is especially important," Putin said. "We are practically creating the necessary
conditions for above-nation legislation of direct action to be formed within the community," he added.
Putin expressed the confidence that "here in Astana we are taking an important step towards the implementation
of the set goals". "First, we are witnessing a considerable growth of the EAEC international authority,"
he said and added that the EAEC had been granted observer status in the UN General Assembly, while other influential
organizations are displaying an interest in forging ties with the EAEC. "The very existence of the EAEC is already
making a positive impact on the whole post-Soviet space," he added.
Second, Putin said, the national economies of the EAEC countries "are showing steady growth, investment
activities and external trade turnover among them are displaying a positive dynamics, while indices of social
development are changing for the better".
Putin described "the effective use of resources and integration opportunities" as a third factor. "It
is important to keep up with the times, taking into consideration modern global integration trends, and to move forward
steadily", he said.
[ITAR-TASS news agency] |
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