Putin Calls for Integration of the Eurasian Economic Union and Silk Road

PRESS RELEASE

Putin Calls for Integration of the Eurasian Economic Union and Silk Road

June 3, 2015 (EIRNS)—Addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s foreign ministers in Moscow today, Russian President Vladimir Putin said integration of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Silk Road will meet the mutual interests of the regional countries, TASS reported.

"We are intensively working on combining these two projects — the economic zone of the Silk Road and cooperation as part of the Eurasian Economic Union, and Russia’s plans to expand its transport network in the east of the country,"

Putin said.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was established in 2001; the six members are Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. The EAEU comprises Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan.

In early May, during his visit to Moscow, Chinese President Xi Jinping had signed a document with Vladimir Putin that said China supports Russia promoting regional integration within the EAEU framework and agrees to launch talks with the EAEU on an economic and trade cooperation deal.

President Putin told the SCO foreign ministers,

"We are absolutely confident that the implementation of this joint work fully meets our mutual interests. I also rely on your help, for your support during the preparation and these events."

Russia, which happens to be chairing both the SCO and the BRICS will host the annual conferences of both organizations in Ufa, next month.