DUSHANBE, October 9, Asia-Plus — The Dushanbe a summit of the Eurasian Economic Community may be the most constructive and fruitful over the whole history of the Community, known Tajik economist, academician Rashid Rahimov said.
According to him, signing by Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan of a document forming legal model of creation of the Customs Union was an important event of the session.
Pointing to effective results of the EAEC Intergovernmental Council session and to the concluded intergovernmental agreements, Professor Rahimov noted that there is no doubt that the Customs Union will promote economic development of all countries that will join it and Tajikistan should join the common customs space.
On the issue of rational use of water and energy resources, the academician noted that the Central Asian states should coordinate a draft new concept as soon as possible. “Former Soviet republics have still used an old Soviet concept, which, to put it mildly, wounds rights of countries located in the upper reaches of rivers of the region,” the researcher said, reminding that under the old concept, the countries located in the upper reaches (Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan) use only 10 percent of water yield, while the countries located in the lower reaches get 90 percent.
On the issue of creation of a common energy market, Professor Rahimov noted that the majority of member nations of the EAEC have considerable reserves of various types of primary energy resources, and therefore, they are striving for integrating their opportunities. “The decision of the EAEC heads of states to elaborate and adopt the concept of the common energy market should be realized as soon as possible, especially as there are practical experience and appropriate legal foundation for this,” Tajik economist said.
Noting that a process of integration is important and necessary for all member nations of the Community, Professor Rahimov, however, noted that the common energy market should be based “on modern civilized principles.” “But if the states having advantages of energy resources want see others countries as the second-rate ones, such market will not yield positive results,” Rahimov said.
He also stressed that concerted policy in the fuel-energy sphere was an important factor of providing stability and sustainable economic growth of the EAEC member nations.
“Issues of rational use of water and energy resources and formation of the common energy market should be resolved in accordance with internal norms and standards with enlisting the services of international experts,” Professor Rahimov said.
