Moscow hosting meeting of EuroAsEc Inter-state Council

A meeting of the Inter-state Council, at the level of prime ministers, of the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEc) member-countries has opened in Moscow after more than an hour of delay. The EurAsEc involves Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrghyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine hold observers' status at the organisation.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov opened the meeting by introducing new participants - Danial Akhmetov, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, and Sergei Sidorsky, acting Premier of Belarus.

Mr Kasyanov said they had got members of the EurAsEc Inter-state Council after taking the office of premier in their countries.

The conferees are discussing economic developments in the EurAsEc member-countries and solutions to economic co-operation-related problems. The premiers of the five member-countries are delivering reports on the matter.

Amendments to the Priority Guidelines for EurAsEc Development in 2003-2006 and further on and measures to implement this document, which has been approved by the five presidents, are also central on the meeting agenda.

The Council is also considering arrangements to protect the member-states' domestic markets without resorting to anti-dumping and compensatory measures in mutual trade and issues related to the fixing of the common customs tariff in the EurAsEc zone.

Moreover, the conferees will discuss draft agreements on the common exports control procedure, on co-operation on the securities market and on co-operation in librarianship.

A protocol introducing amendments to the 1998 agreement on equal rights in border crossing for private individuals living in the countries within the Customs Union and on free goods and currency movement is also on today's meeting agenda.