Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that he does not see a deep crisis in the integration processes in the former Soviet Union, while some "tensions" between members of organizations are natural.
"I do not see any deep crisis in the integration processes in the post-Soviet space. <...> 'Tensions' observed among individual members of our integration associations are natural," said the Russian foreign minister in an interview with Tsargrad TV, published on the website of the diplomatic office on Wednesday.
Lavrov drew attention to the fact that the Eurasian Economic Union gives a real result in the post-Soviet space - the volume of trade is growing to the benefit of all participants. "There are agreements on labor migration within the framework of the EEU and more widely within the CIS, which bring serious benefits to many of our partners," he continued. - "The Eurasian Economic Union erases national borders for capital flows, services, labor and goods. These integration processes are intensively developing and growing."
According to the minister, the Collective Security Treaty Organization also proved its viability when Kazakhstan asked for help in January 2022. "We did an effective job. As soon as Kazakhstan's leadership said it had taken control of the situation, the organization promptly ended its operation," the minister added.
Lavrov noted that Russia is helping settle a dispute that arose between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. "We are assisting Tajikistan in strengthening its defense capabilities and its border with Afghanistan, given the risks and threats that are constantly coming from the territory of that country," the minister explained.
"In the CIS there are important contacts both within the framework of economic cooperation, because the CIS free trade zone operates, and in the fight against modern challenges and threats (terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking, organized crime) and in the humanitarian sphere," the head of the diplomatic mission said. - "This year of 2023 has been announced the Year of the Russian language as the language of international communication in the Commonwealth."
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS