Nazarbayev speaks about launching Eurasian Economic Union

Nursultan Nazarbayev attended the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council and spoke about the new integration project to be launched on January 1, 2015, Tengrinews correspondent reports.

“The year 2015 will go down in history as the beginning of the new stage of Eurasian integration. The Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union that incorporates Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, will come into force on January 1. For the first time in history, an economic union with a powerful natural and resource potential, strategically important in terms of global and regional transport, energy and technology systems is being created on the vast expanses of Eurasia on a voluntary, equal and mutually beneficial basis,” Nazarbayev declared.

“We have combined our economic potentials in response to the challenges of the XXI century. The Eurasian Economic Union is created primarily for the ordinary people and their vital interests. On the vast territory stretching from the Baltic to the Pacific, from the Arctic to the Tien Shan mountains, more than 180 million citizens of the member states are gaining equal opportunities for business, free trade and employment, use of communications, expansion of interregional cooperation and humanitarian cooperation," Nazarbayev said.

In his speech, the President of Kazakhstan stressed that by creating a strong single economic foundation, member states shall strengthen friendship, good neighborliness and trust between their countries and peoples. Nursultan Nazarbayev pointed out that the countries of the Union had to be ready to face major challenges. 

"Today, we are defining a powerful long-term vector of peace, harmony, mutual support and benefits for our countries. And at the same time, integrating economically, all member states shall strengthen the immutable principles of political sovereignty and independence, cultural and linguistic uniqueness of our peoples. Of course, volatility of the world markets, sanctions, failing trust between the major powers of the world, threats, aggravation of military and political situations – all this will affect the processes of formation of the Eurasian Economic Union. We are taking these challenges into account," he said.

The Kazakh leader also stressed that the new integration entity is a result of long and hard work.

"Our path to the EEU took two decades, from the idea put forward in the distant 1994 in my speech at the Moscow State University to the concrete practical decision today. An enormous work has been done to prepare all the necessary interstate documents, which take into account the national interests and economic capabilities of each member country. Behind the Union is a huge work of experts, politicians, parliamentarians, business representatives and the public of our countries," he said.

Nazarbayev thanked everyone for their hard work and noted that the member states had to do everything to ensure the EEC becomes an attractive model of economic partnership for other countries.

"Our economic union is also open to mutually beneficial cooperation with all the integration associations around the world, including the European Union. I heartily congratulate all the citizens of Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan on the creation of the EEC. The best of luck to you all," the President of Kazakhstan said.

Reporting by Renat Tashkinbayev, writing by Dinara Urazova