DUSHANBE, January 21, Asia-Plus — Issues related to laying legal foundation of the Customs Union will be discussed at a session of the Eurasian Economic Community (EAEC) Interstate Committee that will be held in Moscow on January 25.
The source at president’s office said that Prime Minister Oqil Oqilov and Energy and Industries Minister Gul Sherali will represent Tajikistan at the session, which is expected to consider 22 documents.
The session is aiming to consider the EAEC budget for 2008, a progress of work on preparation of rational use of water and energy resources in Central Asia, as well as principles of currency policy, use of customs maps and development of social sphere within the EAEC area, the source said.
We will recall Tajikistan formally takes over as the rotating chair of the Community this year, with Tajik President Rahmon serving as the chairman. This was announced at the EAEC summit that was held in Dushanbe last October. The summit adopted a document on budget policy, providing the basis for a proposed new customs union and supporting the planned formation of a single economic and transport space, as well as a common energy market. Representatives from Belarus, Kazakhstan and, and Russia signed a package of agreements on the formation of a customs union commission and establishing a common customs area.
The initial concept of the Eurasian Economic Community was first proposed in October 2000, as a successor to the CIS Customs Union, when Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan signed a treaty on broad economic and trade cooperation. The organization was formally created with the ratification of that treaty in May 2001. The initial five-member group was further expanded in May 2002, when Moldova and Ukraine were granted observer status, and again in April 2003, when Ukraine and Armenia gained observer status. In 2006, Uzbekistan joined the organization.
