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Putin invites CIS states to become Eurasian Economic Union observers

Vladimir Putin calls for expansion of cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Union and other countries

MOSCOW, January 18. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for expansion of cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and other countries and integrations.

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"We consider it reasonable to explore opportunities of establishing deeper ties between the Union and the Commonwealth of Independent States, certain members of which could become EAEU observers," he said in a statement addressed to heads of EAEU countries released on the Kremlin website on Thursday.

Putin also urged efforts to cooperate with other countries. "The free trade zone with Vietnam has been successfully operating since 2016," he said. "We expect the talks that are currently underway on creation of free trade zones with Egypt, Israel, India, Iran, Serbia and Singapore to be fruitful. We see great potential in signing the agreement on trade and economic cooperation between the Eurasian (Economic) Union and the People’s Republic of China. I am convinced that the Eurasian Economic Union and the Chinese initiative ‘One Belt, One Road’ can effectively complement each other," he said.

According to the Russian president, Moscow is poised for expansion of cooperation between the EAEU and the United Nations and its structures. "We think it is important for the Union to further help implement the UN Sustainable Development Goals and other top global initiatives," he noted.

He also considers it necessary to "jointly strengthen the positions of the Union in the WTO, and promote the EAEU’s full-fledged participation in other international organizations, including the World Customs Organization."

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