Евразийское экономическое сообщество

DECLARATION

of the President of the Republic of Belarus

A.G. Lukashenko,

of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan

N.A. Nazarbayev,

of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic

A.A. Akayev

and of the President of the Russian Federation

B.N. Yeltsin

Moscow, 29 March 1996

We, Presidents of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Federation, guided by the national interests of our people, relying on historically established liaisons and their spiritual affinity, striving to further strengthen friendship and cooperation, willing to raise interstate relationships to a new level, have concluded a Treaty on promoting integration in economic and humanitarian areas.

Aspiration of brother nations for convergence stems from both similar destinies and common interest in an equitable partnership and the distinct needs and opportunities of a mutually beneficial economic cooperation.

The major objective of the Treaty is to more efficiently fulfill the physical and intellectual potentials of our countries as a sine qua none of economic upturn, improvements in people’s living and cultural standards and sustainable economic development.

The main task of promoting integration in the economic sphere is to create the environment required to ensure free movement of goods, services, capital and workforce and to strengthen and develop economic ties. Significant steps have already been taken in this direction – a customs union has been formed, with the Payment Union pending establishment.

States – parties to the Treaty pay special attention to pursuing a harmonized structural policy targeted at efficient economic interaction and cooperation.

Implementation of the Treaty in the humanitarian area will give scope for further convergence of our peoples and day-to-day human contacts.

We are confident that this Treaty will help to coordinate measures in such areas as the development of democratic institutions; securing human rights; harmonizing laws; combating organized and economic crime, international terrorism and drug trafficking; environmental protection and cooperation in the international arena.

Provisions of the signed Agreement do not put restraints on the economic and political relationships of any of the Parties with other countries of the global community and do not affect their international obligations, including those within the framework of the Commonwealth. It rests upon the principles of independency, sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the Treaty member states.

The Treaty is based on fundamental objectives declared in the Charter of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

By entering into the Treaty we proceed from the premise that integration processes within the framework of the CIS are realized with varying speed, dependent on the degree of readiness to join forces. This course of rapprochement by no means implies separation of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Federation.

We will further promote objectives declared in the Charter of the Commonwealth of Independent States and sincerely welcome other CIS member states to join a process of profound integration in the future.

We would like to emphasize that the Treaty is open for accession by other states which share its objectives and principles. It fully conforms to integration trends in the modern world.

We are confident that this Treaty, which recognizes the cardinal interests of our nations, will help us to join forces and make the world a better place to live.

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