Customs Union countries, including Ukraine, will play significant role on world food market - Shuvalov
KYIV. March 4 (Interfax) -Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus will pay a significant role on the world food market if they join into a customs union, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov said.
"We believe Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Belarus have great prospects if they form a customs union. That will make them the main nucleus of food security in the world. Our countries will be a powerful food player," Shuvalov told reporters in Kyiv on Thursday after meeting with Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Klyuyev.
The integration between Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus in the Customs Union and the talks on the creation of a free trade zone between the EU, these countries, and Ukraine do not contradict each other, Shuvalov said. "We are operating under the assumption that these formats do not contradict each other. Ukraine's possible accession to the Customs Union at a certain stage would even speed up the signing of an agreement with the EU," Shuvalov said.
Klyuyev, in turn, pointed out that some cooperation projects between these countries hold promise.
The deputy prime ministers limited themselves to a press statement and did not answer questions from journalists.
Kazakhstan, Russia, and Belarus created the Customs Union on January 1, 2010.
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