Eurasian community leaders arriving in Kazakhstan for economic summit

Kazakh Television first channel, Astana
17 Jun 04

[Presenter] An agreement on cooperation in securities markets and
a treaty on coordinating the legislation relating to the EAEC [the
Eurasian Economic Community of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Russia and Tajikistan – the former Customs Union] member states
are expected to be signed at an interstate council of the EAEC [in
Kazakhstan] tomorrow.

The chairman of the EAEC Integration Committee and a deputy prime
minister of Kazakhstan, Sauat Mynbayev, said the interstate session
would also discuss a single-tariff policy on railway freight, ensuring
the free movement of capital, goods and services and the countries’
information awareness in the run-up to WTO membership.

The EAEC member states will also discuss procedures for cooperation
in using water-energy resources of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers.

The members of the committee said supranational structures should be
set up in order to effectively use the water resources.

[Grigoriy Rapota, the EAEC secretary-general] The cross-flow of
electric power from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to Russia via Uzbekistan
and Kazakhstan has already been taking place for two years. This is
the first and important step towards creating a common energy market.

As we were studying these issues – the construction of a hydroelectric
power station – we came across important problems on which Central
Asian states have already been working. They concern the regulation
of water-energy resources. These two processes are interrelated.

Now we are discussing the creation of a permanent mechanism which
would implement this regulation.

[Presenter] The heads of the main states [of the EAEC] – Belarusian
President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, Armenian President Robert Kocharyan,
Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev and Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov –
have already arrived in Kazakhstan to participate in the interstate
council of the EAEC.

[Video shows the session, Rapota speaking to camera and Lukashenka
at airport]