Difficulties in forming Eurasian Union are surmountable - Russian Foreign Ministry
MOSCOW. June 14 (Interfax) - Efforts to establish the Eurasian Union have encountered certain difficulties, but these difficulties will be sorted out, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said in the State Duma on Friday.
"I would not use the word "slowing down". I'd rather use the word "difficulties", which always emerge when we switch from declarations to concrete steps," Karasin said, answering a question from Communist faction member Anatoly Lokot during today's debate on a protocol that amends the Russian-Kazakh Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance.
Lokot wanted to know whether the Eurasian Union's processes had slowed down because of Kazakhstan's stance on this issue.
The union has good prospects, Karasin said.
Difficulties certainly exist, but they are surmountable, he said.
These problems have been tackled within the multinational Eurasian Economic Commission, which is chaired by Viktor Khristenko, Karasin said.
"Issues have been resolved during discussions, disputes and comparisons of positions. There is no need to be afraid of it," the deputy foreign minister said.
The presidents of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan ordered the establishment of the Eurasian Union by January 2015, Karasin said. The new entity in no way means the annulment or abolition of the Russia-Belarus Union, he said.
"Our categorical position is that Russia-Belarus Union will continue to develop, expanding its sphere of cooperation," Karasin said.