NEW CUSTOMS UNION SHAPING UP IN CENTRAL ASIA?
Autonomous Nonprofit Organization "TV-Novosti"
October 4, 2007, 10:54
Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe is about to play host to three
international organisations in Central Asia.
The Commonwealth of Independent States, the Collective Security
Treaty Organisation, and the Eurasian Economic Community, all came
into being following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
15 years after the collapse of the USSR, the post-Soviet space is
packed with all sorts of new abbreviations.
Some of these organizations stem from a political agenda, others
pursue economic interests, hardly any of them has proved to be as
successful as they had hoped for.
The CIS was created in 1991 and unites most of the former Soviet
republics. It was first regarded as a substitute for the USSR, although
its original goal, a common economic space, was never fulfilled. The
main obstacle to its development is the lack of political will among
some of its members.
State officials like to use this platform for face-to-face meetings
rather than round-tables.
For the past decade the post-Soviet area has been shaken with numerous
regional conflicts, revolutions and even civil war. And if some of
them were resolved, others have been frozen for years.
Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
and Armenia are now united in a military coalition – the Collective
Security Treaty Organization.
Its aim – to protect sovereignty of the states, that includes
countering terrorism and drug trafficking.
"During the operation that was aimed to counter drug-trafficking
from Afghanistan, and thanks to the joint efforts of the CSTO member
states, we confiscated 10 tons of heroine, and 1,200 tons of chemical
substances needed for the production of drugs" says Nikolay Bordyuzha,
CSTO Secretary General.
CSTO members regularly conduct military exercises.
The organization is also planning to establish its own rescue forces,
antiterrorist and peacekeeping units.
The same states except for Armenia are members of the Eurasian Economic
Community, or EurAsEC.
It is the only group in the region that exclusively deals with economic
and social issues.
The main goals are to create a customs union and a common economic
space.
But seven years after its establishment, progress is slow. EurAsEC
‘s Secretary General says there are many obstacles.
"The states are very careful." says Grigory Rapota, EurAsEC Secretary
General.
Some countries fear that further integration might limit their autonomy
and interfere with domestic policies, but there is some progress,
he says.
"Three documents are going to be signed in Dushanbe creating the
judicial basis for the Customs Union. It will take around three years"
adds Rapota.
So far, a custom’s union is planned between Belarus, Russia and
Kazakhstan.Other countries will join when they are able to meet the
necessary conditions. If successful, the next stage will be a common
economic area.