"THE FORCE OF THE CIS IS JUST IN ITS WEAKNESSES"
Katerina Labetskaya

DEFENSE and SECURITY
February 27, 2008 Wednesday
Russia

HIGHLIGHT: THERE IS NO NEED TO HURRY TO BURY THE CIS; Interview of
Senior Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, Andrei Denisov, dedicated
to the current situation in the CIS

An informal summit of leaders of countries of the Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS) will take place in Moscow tomorrow, nine days
before the presidential elections in Russia. Special correspondent of
Vremya Novostey, Katerina Labetskaya, talks to Senior Deputy Foreign
Minister of Russia, Andrei Denisov, about the situation in the CIS.

Question: Is the CIS viable?

Denisov: There is no need to hurry to bury the CIS. This is a quite
established and recognized international organization. Although two
CIS countries – Ukraine and Azerbaijan – deny its legal personality,
this circumstance does not hinder their work in the CIS in the areas
interesting for them. The flexibility of functioning of the CIS
provides assurance of its viability.

The "tightening of the screws" has no prospects in the CIS. Along with
this, a site for the exchange of opinions, meetings and fulfillment
of tasks is necessary and the CIS exists for this. As long as the CIS
defends the interests of its members, it will be demanded. Nobody is
kept in the CIS by force and nobody is pressed towards integration.

If countries are prepared for a high level of cooperation they get
united into a narrower format. Thus has appeared the Eurasian Economic
Community (EurAsEC), an integration group the goal of which is the
Customs Union and a higher stage of economic integration further.

Question: The idea of the Customs Union results from the common
economic space not implemented allegedly because of drawbacks of
Russian diplomacy.

Denisov: So far, an agreement and legal base is being formed. In
favorable conditions the Customs Union will start working no earlier
than in 2010. With regard to the common economic space (CEP), this is
the highest stage of integration with super-national bodies and unified
trading and economic policy. The incompleteness of formation of the
CEP among Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan s not a diplomatic
drawbacks but absence of objective conditions in the countries for
entering into it.

When the CEP was being built for four countries it turned out that
Ukraine was not ready for it. The process was postponed. Kazakhstan,
Belarus and Russia continued the movement in the group of three. The
Customs Union being established by them is a step towards the CEP
in the framework of the three countries prepared to accept any
other country from the EurAsEC and Ukraine that is looking in the
Euro-Atlantic direction.

Question: Can the entrance into NATO desired by Georgia and the
Ukraine ruin their membership in the CIS?

Denisov: The goals declared by them are very remote but we take the
right of any CIS member to pursue its interests in other international
associations or more narrow groups with respect. GUAM is evolving
although its tasks still look amorphous.

Question: But Georgia was going to quit the CIS.

Denisov: It is necessary to judge by actual deeds. Georgia does not
take steps aimed at withdrawing from the CIS.

Question: Do the frozen conflicts on the territory of the Commonwealth
compromise the CIS? There are two conflicts in Georgia.

Nagorno-Karabakh may lead to a clash of two CIS member states –
Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Denisov: Any conflict, no matter in the CIS or in another place,
starts burning easily but it is difficult to extinguish it. On the
level of political statements in the CIS, a possibility of forceful
resolving of conflicts is denied. However, at least four CIS members –
Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Moldova – are involved into conflicts
that have become a pain of the entire Commonwealth. Russia and CIS
in general have been making a determined contribution to maintaining
peace and stability in the conflict zones for 15 years.

Question: Can the "Kosovo scenario" push Russia towards recognition
of the self-declared republics in the post-Soviet space?

Denisov: Our attitude to the unilateral declaration of the independence
of Kosovo is very negative. This is not a pretext for us to lose
self-control and to take mirror steps to spite someone. We will
simply have to take into account in our policy the example of open
neglect of territorial integrity of a state and hasty recognition of
"independence" of Kosovo by some countries.

Question: Can the drifting of Ukraine towards NATO undermine its
economic and military cooperation with Russia?

Denisov: So far, this is rather a theoretical problem because
everything is postponed until the remote future. The military, economic
and social component established back in the Soviet period is very
serious in cooperation with Ukraine. We are independent countries
that treat each other with equal respect. It is impossible and it is
not necessary to eradicate our special relations which are primarily
human ones.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress