Nazarbayev: Single Economic Space of Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus is an equal union

ASTANA. April 25. KAZINFORM Establishment of Single Economic Space of Kazakhstan, Belarus and Russia should be conducted without haste for all to see that this is an equal union, President Nursultan Nazarbayev said in his interview to "Russia 24" TV channel.

The Kazakh President noted that the post-Soviet space is not homogeneous; integration is beneficial to the countries that have roughly equal opportunities and the will of the population - Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus, which have founded the Customs Union. Increase in commodity turnover by 30-40 percent will occur only in the early years. At present, the trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Russia reached USD 24 billion a year, which is 20 per cent of Kazakhstan's total trade.

"From January 1 this year we announced the establishment of the Single Economic Space. By 2015, when all our agreements become laws, we will conclude additional contracts and ratify the agreements. This space will be absolutely free, transparent to all of us, and then we have to announce the establishment of the Eurasian Economic Union," Nursultan Nazarbayev emphasized.