Lavrov comments on Nazarbayev’s statement on "Kazakhstan's sovereignty before Customs Union”

    Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently commented on President Nazarbayev’s statement, “If Russia continues its current policy towards Ukraine, Astana might consider withdrawing from the Customs Union.”
    Lavrov said, “I can only comment on what I witnessed myself. The Minsk meeting of the presidents of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine, which was also attended by Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission Viktor Khristenko and three European commissioners, was focused on finding solutions to all aspects of the Ukrainian crisis, including the need for a ceasefire (all Customs Union member states are absolutely unanimous on this), ensuring economic harmony and avoiding a situation in which Ukraine violates its obligations under the CIS free-trade zone by signing an agreement with the European Union”.
    “On this point there hasn’t been, nor can there be, any disagreement between the participants representing the Customs Union (presidents of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan). We are absolutely unanimous in our approach, namely that the Customs Union is an association of sovereign states that see the benefits of combining their economic, trade and investment potentials. This is an attractive feature for other countries interested in working with the Customs Union, joining it, and later becoming members of the Eurasian Economic Union. It is a very successful venture,” Lavrov said in a response published in the Foreign Ministry of Russia website, according to Akipress.