Eurasian EC Under Surveillance

Ukraine has obtained observer status with the Eurasian Economic Community along with Moldova. This information was released on May 13 by the organization’s head, Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev and later confirmed in Kyiv. Kyiv had spoken about the expediency of obtaining observer status in the Eurasian five (Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Belarus) as early as last year.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented on the subject: “We proceed from the assumption that developing economic cooperation between Ukraine and Russia or other CIS countries should be based on seeking new ways to serve our interests. Thus we strive to use any possibilities for this, including establishing cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Community through observer status in this organization.” Incidentally, Ukrainian delegations are also observers in the Central Asian Economic Community, Council of Baltic States, Nonaligned Movement, Organization of American States, etc.

On the other hand, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anatoly Zlenko and State Secretary on European Integration Oleksandr Chaly have stated repeatedly that Ukraine could not be member of two custom alliances at the same time. While the Kremlin did not have any official reaction to this, Russia’s ambassador to Ukraine Viktor Chernomyrdin has reiterated in the last few days that the European Union is hardly attainable for Ukraine and they are not waiting for us there, while the EurAsEC is already offering its integration services. Moreover, should Ukraine enter the EurAsEC, Moscow is prepared to compromise on the issue of Ukraine’s gas debts amounting $1.4 billion. While Moldova is willing to plunge itself into EurAsEC’s embraces immediately, Kyiv is still scrutinizing this proposition, according to the Ministries of the Economy and Foreign Affairs. Prime Minister Kinakh promised that the final decision would be made in accordance with Ukraine’s national interests.

Simultaneously, the fact that the meeting of the Committee of National Coordinators of GUUAM scheduled for early May has not been held yet also draws one’s attention. No explanation has been given. Evidently, one can also speak about a crisis in CIS, whose summit was postponed from May until October. CIS Executive Secretary Yury Yarov explained this in terms of the ongoing preparations for certain agreements made at the March Almaty summit and by Mr. Putin’s prearranged international meetings. Meanwhile, the Russian mass media has disseminated information on an interesting CIS document, “Materials for Discussion at the Closed Meeting of the Council of CIS Heads State.” The document in part stresses that the countries counteract each other at the international level. “Telling evidence of this is the appearance of various twos, fours, and fives.” Claiming that “they act as sources for additional experience and strengthen CIS are but putting the best face on the situation. The EurAsEC and GUUAM are creating parallel structures and free trade zones.”