Russia to hail Ukraine involvement in CIS integration processes - Lavrov
MOSCOW. Dec 21 (Interfax) - Russia would welcome Ukraine's involvement in integration processes in the Commonwealth of Independent States, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
"Naturally, we are interested to see Ukraine as participating in these processes on condition that such is the choice of the Ukrainian people. The results of the meeting of the Russian-Ukrainian Interstate Commission in Moscow on December 17 offer vivid proof of the mutual desire to do constructive work," Lavrov said in an end-of-year interview with Interfax.
"The integrative efforts of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan within the framework of the Customs Union and Common Economic Space have become a major contribution to regional and international stability," he said.
"In 2015, Eurasian integration is due to rise to a new level with the creation of the Eurasian Economic Union. We support the desire of Armenia and Kyrgyzstan to take part in these formats of integration, and we are giving them necessary assistance to ensure that their accession brings everybody maximum advantages," the minister said.
"The processes of integration that take place in the Eurasian format and those taking place within the framework of the European Union are mutually complementary, and we stand ready to work for their mutual harmonization through the implementation of the idea of creating a single economic and humanitarian space from the Atlantic to the Pacific in the long term, an idea that has been put forward by [Russian] President Vladimir Putin," Lavrov said.
