DUSHANBE (TCA) — Russia has offered Tajikistan to become a country with an observer status in the Eurasian Economic Union, Tajikistan’s Avesta news agency reported with reference to Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov.
Shuvalov told about it following the meeting of the Tajik-Russian Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation held in Moscow last week.
The Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) is a Russia-led economic bloc, which also includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Moldova currently has an observer status in the EEU.
“We have offered Tajikistan to seriously consider the status of an observer country of the EEU,” Interfax news agency quoted Shuvalov as saying.
In his words, this status does not necessarily entail [EEU] membership. This status does not have any political aspect — it would only promote trade turnover and mutual penetration of economies, Shuvalov stressed.
“We ask the Tajik side to treat this issue with attention, because the issues of phytosanitary control, veterinary control, technical regulation, and standards would later lead to a more free movement of goods,” the Russian First Deputy Prime Minister said.
Tajikistan has made it clear it is not in a hurry to join the Eurasian Economic Union.
Tajik officials at various levels, including several ministers, earlier said that the government of Tajikistan was considering all pluses and minuses of the country’s possible entry to this economic organization.
