Expert opinion: Kazakhstan is consequent on its way to integration

Belarus seems to want to combine pro-Russian and European vectors. Kazakhstan is more consistent, according to her, even given the multi-vector policy of the administration.
President Nursultan Nazarbayev reiterated the meaning of formation of the Customs Union to Kazakhstan. At the last meetings with Russian Federation President Vladimir Medvedev he pointed out the special importance of bilateral relations of Kazakhstan and Russia within the Customs Union. Nursultan Nazarbayev called formation of the Customs Union number one issue underlying that integration will help Kazakhstan and other members cope with recession consequences more easily.
The mass media of the three countries cite various opinions with regard to the benefits and disadvantages of the Union, but the administration states that within the single customs area Kazakhstan's economy will be developing more successfully than ever before.
In particular procession of Kazakhstani oil on Byelorussian oil refineries will be more profitable due to reduced cost of transit via Russian territory. It should be noted entire export from Kazakhstan in European direction will be a good profit.
Yet Prime Minister Karim Massimov noting these and other advantages for Kazakhstan reminds of toughening of competition among the countries as a result of absence of customs borders which means that domestic production must be ready for the fight for market and consumer.
Karim Massimov spoke about these and other problems which may arise due to commencement of single customs tariffs. He namely noted that illegal goods turnover from China to Kyrgyzstan and from Kyrgyzstan to Kazakhstan will obviously take place. The reason is that Customs Union tariffs are much higher than those in Kyrgyzstan. At the last telephone conference of the Government the Prime Minister instructed Zhambyl region akim Kanat Bozumbayev to set up neat work of the customs and border services.
At the international exhibition on October 21-22 in Moscow Director General of the Association of European Business Frank Shauff said: "We welcome the decision to move the Russian customs borders to the external borders of the Customs Union, however the existing customs infrastructure cannot cope with today's loading, not mentioning the planned increase of goods flow".
Frank Shauff declared expressly that with the existing state of the customs affairs in the Customs Union countries risk to get deluged with pirate goods.
As for the fears among Kazakhstani population with regard to food products price hike, Director of the Department of the Industry and Trade Ministry Zhanel Kukusheva said: "As the matter of fact 80-90% of imported food goods are supplied from the CIS countries with which there is free trade zone. That is formation of the Customs Union and high duties on the goods supplied from third countries should not affect prices of food products supplied from the CIS countries."
Another benefit from setting up the Customs Union is accession to the World Trade Organization within three countries block.
The Wall Street Journal, representative of the United States and EU were surprised by the statement of Russia that it will annul its individual application for joining the WTO will apply again in membership with Kazakhstan and Belarus.