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Ukraine sets three conditions of its possible joining of Customs Union

If the conditions are met, "the Ukrainian economy will gain $4.6 billion annually"

KIEV, October 14 (Itar-Tass) —— Ukraine has set three conditions of its possible joining of the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, Ukrainian government representative for cooperation with Russia, CIS and the Eurasian Economic Community Valery Muntyan said on Friday.

Ukraine is ready to consider its possible membership in the Customs Union “if export duties on crude and petroleum products are cancelled and gas prices are reduced,” he said. “Kiev needs the same gas prices as Russia has domestically in order to prevent takeovers of Ukrainian companies.”

If the conditions are met, “the Ukrainian economy will gain $4.6 billion annually,” he said.

While dwelling on the cons and pros of the integration into the Customs Union, the official proposed that Russia should drop protective measures as regards a number of export commodities and “meet possible compensation claims of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in the case of the Ukrainian affiliation to the Customs Union.” He evaluated the expenditures at $2 billion. “There is a no less important condition – the full use of the Ukrainian gas pipelines and the preservation of their transit potential,” he said.

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