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New comprehensive Eurasian Union treaty to be signed by January 1, 2015

Dmitry Medvedev said that little time is left and, as an example, mentioned the European Union that took years to create

MOSCOW, March 19 (Itar-Tass) — President Dmitry Medvedev said he expects a new comprehensive Eurasian Union treaty to be signed by January 1, 2015.

“We believe that a comprehensive treaty on a new union should be drafted and signed by January 1, 2015,” Medvedev said after a summit of the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) on Monday, March 19.

He said that little time is left and, as an example, mentioned the European Union that took years to create.

Medvedev stressed that all summiteers were interested to ensure that “integration proceeds by predictable scenario” and cited all leaders as agreeing that “we should form the Eurasian Economic Community by 2015”.

The Russian president admitted that he liked the results of the meeting in Moscow. “We spent time productively, although sometimes the discussion on how to further integration got quite fierce,” he said.

Medvedev also said that interaction within the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan was also discussed at the summit. The dialogue was “frank and equal” and was particularly useful since it involved the heads of EurAsEC observer states.

“We talked about advantages and certain difficulties experienced by those who do not participate in the Customs Union, and we thought it was necessary to make our position known to our colleagues from some observer states,” Medvedev said.

The summiteers also discussed unification of passport control procedures. “All our efforts should be aimed at liberalising the movement of capital, goods, services and labour within the Customs Union,” he said.

The Eurasian Economic Community consists of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Armenia is an observer.

The Supreme Eurasian Economic Council includes Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.