Azerbaijan, Baku, September 25 /Trend, E.Kosolapova/
There is no point to expect a fast accession of new countries to the Customs Union, Kazakh political analyst Eduard Poletaev said.
"The accession of new countries to the Customs Union is not an early issue ," the expert told Trend.
According to him, the statement about the imminent accession of several countries (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Armenia) to the Customs Union is a demonstration of the good political intentions of Russia that wants this to happen and of the states themselves who are trying to get certain preferences for their accession.
"However it is while the good intentions are implemented, several years can pass. Work will go within a complex procedure. It is not a matter of one year even between the close economies of Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus," Poletaev said.
According to the expert, the countries that have expressed a desire to join the Customs Union also have a number of problems that need to be resolved before their accession to this organisation.
"In Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan it is the problem of borders and smuggling. This is a very significant issue given the large turnover of 'dirty' money on these borders, as a much larger market is opened. Additionally, the Customs Union is unable to tighten the security of these borders. This may be a job for a Collective Security Treaty Organisation combined with other organisations. While the situation on the borders is not regulated, there is no point in talking about fast accession," he said.
The expert also recalled that Ukraine and Moldova are also among the aspirants for accession to the Customs Union. These countries oscillate between the inclination towards the European integration and economic rapprochement with the countries of the Customs Union.
"Ukraine has made its choice in favour of rapprochement with Europe. Moldova should decide before the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius in November," Poletaev said.
