Tag Archives: Eurasian Economic Union

Iran talks up trade deals with the EEAU

JULY 21 2021 (The Bulletin) — Iranian diplomats are talking up a trade agreement with the Kremlin-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEAU) which they hope will create a series of free trade zones that will spur joint projects. The EEAU includes Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Belarus. Media reported that a group of 40 Iranian businessmen had flown to Bishkek to look at potential investments in Kyrgyzstan.

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— This story was published in issue 493 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on July 22 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Putin wants more aviation cooperation with Central Asia

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JULY 20 2021 (The Bulletin) — In a clear pitch for Russia’s aviation business, Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin said that he wanted to deepen Russia’s cooperation in the aviation sector with other member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Mr Putin was speaking at the opening of the MAKS 2021, air show in Zhukovsky, Russia. The EAEU includes Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

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— This story was published in issue 493 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on July 22 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Uzbekistan has applied to join EDB, says adviser

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ALMATY/JUNE 4 2021 (The Bulletin) — Uzbekistan has applied to join the Almaty-based intergovernmental Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) which is closely linked to the Kremlin-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

Media quoted Grigory Marchenko, a former Kazakh Central Bank chief and now an adviser to the EDB, as saying that the Uzbek government had now made a formal membership application. Mr Marchenko has previously said that the EDB would welcome an application by Uzbekistan.

Applying to join the EDB pushes along Uzbekistan’s potential membership of the EAEU and, with it, potentially deeper regional economic integration. Uzbek Pres. Shavkat Mirziyoyev has said that Uzbekistan should join the EAEU, which includes Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Belarus as its members.

The EDB was set up in 2006, nine years before the EAEU. With the addition of Tajikistan, the EDB’s members mirror the EAEU.

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— This story was published in issue 487 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on June 9 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Pashinyan calls for more integration within the EEU

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DEC. 27 (The Conway Bulletin) — On a trip to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin that was dominated by negotiations over Gazprom’s gas price increases, Armenian leader Nikol Pashinyan said he wanted to see more integration between members of the Kremlin-led Eurasian Economic Union. Mr Pashinyan has been careful to maintain good relations with Russia since a revolution in Armenia in April/May 2018.
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>>This story was first published in issue 396 of The Conway Bulletin on Jan. 11 2019

INCOMPLETE STORY: Kyrgyz-Kazakh trade rows

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>> So what is going on here? Why are Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan rowing about trade?

>> In an interview with Euronews, Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev blamed Kazakhstan for imposing a trade barrier in 2010 which then forced it to join the Kremlin-lead Eurasian Economic Union. The Kazakh side responded by denying that this had ever happened and issuing a formal complaint.

>> So is this serious? What is the back-story to this?

>> This an extension of a long-running feud between the two neighbours over trade. Each has accused the other of underhand tactics which have damaged their trade. Kazakhstan is a far bigger economy than Kyrgyzstan. This puts Kazakhstan is a far stronger position than Kyrgyzstan and Kyrgyz MPs and officials often accuse it of essentially bullying it. The issue here, though, maybe that Atambayev is looking to deflect from his unpopular move in 2015 to pull Kyrgyzstan into the Kremlin’s Eurasian Economic Union. Kyrgyzstan became the fifth member of the group after Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Armenia.

>> Why has the Eurasian Economic Union become so unpopular in Kyrgyzstan?

>> It’s mainly the timing of joining that was the problem. Russia had just tipped into a recession linked to a collapse in oil prices. Jobs for migrant workers dried up and various projects that Russia had promised to fund were scrapped. At the same time, Kyrgyzstan’s economy started faltering and the currency started to fall. Officials looking to shift blame found an easy target in the Eurasian Economic Union. There have also been some genuine problems with paperwork and with what was described in 2015 as a flood of cheap imports from Kazakhstan and Russia into Kyrgyzstan, which damaged local producers.

>> Are there any numbers to back this up?

>> The data that Kyrgyz officials use to back up their arguments is from the Kyrgyz Statistic Committee which said that trade with other Eurasian Economic Union members was down by over 18% last year. This was held up as proof that the Eurasian Economic Union was not working. The reality is a bit more complex. Kazakhstan also published trade figures that showed its trade with other Eurasian Economic Union figures had fallen by a similar amount. This may be more to do with the general regional economic downturn than the Eurasian Economic Union.

Armenian MP group submits request to leave Eurasian Economic Union

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SEPT. 8 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — A group of pro-Western MPs in Armenia submitted a proposal in parliament to leave the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). Armenia’s government is staunchly pro-Russia and has no intention of leaving the EEU but the proposal is a reminder that a more pro-Western strand exists in the Armenian political spectrum. Yelk, which holds nine seats in the 105 member chamber, said that Armenia’s economy has suffered in the three years it has been part of the EEU.
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— This story was first published in issue 343 of The Conway Bulletin on Sept. 15 2017

Turkey says it is interested in joining Eurasian Economic Union

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AUG. 19 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — Turkey’s economy minister, Nihat Zeybekci, said that the country was interested in joining the Eurasian Customs Union, the customs-free zone that includes the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). The comments underline Turkey’s drift away from Europe towards Russia and Central Asia. The Eurasian Economic Union is led by Russia and also includes Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. Importantly, Turkey did not say it wanted to join the EEU.

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(News report from Issue No. 341, published on Aug. 27 2017)

Armenia accuses Kremlin of imperiallism

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JULY 12 2017 (The Bulletin) — Armenian lawmakers accused the Kremlin of outdated imperialism after its parliament passed a law which said that citizens of other Eurasian Union countries — Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia — could only work as commercial drivers in Russia if their countries recognised Russian as an official language. The only Eurasian Union country that doesn’t is Armenia.

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(News report from Issue No. 337, published on July 27 2017)

Kazakh Parliament approves aid deal

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JUNE 14 2017 (The Bulletin) — Kazakhstan’s parliament ratified a deal to give Kyrgyzstan $100m of aid to help adapt to Eurasian Economic Union regulations for animal sanitary and customs procedures, media reported. Kyrgyzstan has previously complained that Kazakhstan was deliberately causing problems on its shared border.

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(News report from Issue No. 333, published on June 19 2017)

Kyrgyzstan receives $100m for EEU boost

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MAY 20 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — Kazakhstan agreed to give $100m to Kyrgyzstan to help its integration with the Kremlin-led Eurasian Economic Union. The funds have been earmarked for help to improve customs procedures and veterinary checks. The two issues have caused friction between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan over the past few years. Kyrgyz have become increasingly sceptical about the Eurasian Economic Union.

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(News report from Issue No. 329, published on May 20 2017)