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CUSTOMS UNION POPULAR IN MOST POST-SOVIET STATES, FINDS STUDY
Business New Europe
Sept 25 2013
September 25, 2013
A substantial majority of the population in most of the potential
Customs Union member states is in favour of joining the Russian-led
bloc, according to a study by the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB).
The EDB Integration Barometer finds that the highest level of support
is in Central Asia. A full 77% of Uzbek respondents say they are in
favour of entry to the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space,
the trade block Moscow is currently pushing so hard to fill with former
Soviet states - especially those to the west that are flirting with
the EU.
In Tajikistan, 75% of respondents would be happy to join. In
Kyrgyzstan, where the government has said it plans to sign up by 2015
but has recently provoked suggestions that it is dragging its feet,
72% of respondents would like to see the deal sealed. The figures
are even higher than in the existing member states, Belarus, Russia
and Kazakhstan, where public support is at 65%, 67%, and 73%.
Surprisingly, given the troubled relationship with Russia, a majority
of Georgians - 59% - are in favour of hooking up with the Russian-led
bloc. The figure is twice as high that seen in the EDB's 2012 report.
Armenia is the only state to have succumbed to the Kremlin's pressure
thus far. Following a rise in Russian gas prices and a large arms
deal handed by Moscow to his country's bitter rival Azerbaijan,
President Serzh Sargsyan announced in early September that Armenia
will join the Customs Union.
Despite demonstrations in Yerevan against the decision - due to the
fact that it will likely rule out closer association with the EU -
67% support the move, according to the report. By way of contrast,
just 37% of Azeri's would like to see their country join the Customs
Union - the lowest level of support in any country of the Commonwealth
of Independent States. Over half - 53% - see the club negatively.
Negative opinions have also increased in Moldova and Ukraine, reaching
24% and 28% respectively. However, 50% of Ukrainian respondents and
54% of those in Moldova said they supported Customs Union entry.
Many countries in the post-Soviet space still consider countries
outside the region to be the most attractive sources of foreign
capital. For example, 60% of Tajikistani respondents said China was
the most attractive source of capital, Georgia looked to the US,
Uzbekistan to Japan and Azerbaijan to Turkey.
Meanwhile, a majority of Moldavians and Ukrainians see the EU was
the most attractive source of capital. Both countries say they are
determined to sign trade and association pacts with Brussels in
November, which has seen Moscow raise trade barriers in recent weeks.
Politically, respondents from Central Asia, Armenia and Belarus
were oriented towards the post-Soviet space, while those from Russia,
Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine favoured the EU, and Azerbaijan identified
more closely with Turkey.
http://www.bne.eu/storyf5381/Customs_Union_popular_in_most_postSoviet_states_fi nds_study
Business New Europe
Sept 25 2013
September 25, 2013
A substantial majority of the population in most of the potential
Customs Union member states is in favour of joining the Russian-led
bloc, according to a study by the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB).
The EDB Integration Barometer finds that the highest level of support
is in Central Asia. A full 77% of Uzbek respondents say they are in
favour of entry to the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space,
the trade block Moscow is currently pushing so hard to fill with former
Soviet states - especially those to the west that are flirting with
the EU.
In Tajikistan, 75% of respondents would be happy to join. In
Kyrgyzstan, where the government has said it plans to sign up by 2015
but has recently provoked suggestions that it is dragging its feet,
72% of respondents would like to see the deal sealed. The figures
are even higher than in the existing member states, Belarus, Russia
and Kazakhstan, where public support is at 65%, 67%, and 73%.
Surprisingly, given the troubled relationship with Russia, a majority
of Georgians - 59% - are in favour of hooking up with the Russian-led
bloc. The figure is twice as high that seen in the EDB's 2012 report.
Armenia is the only state to have succumbed to the Kremlin's pressure
thus far. Following a rise in Russian gas prices and a large arms
deal handed by Moscow to his country's bitter rival Azerbaijan,
President Serzh Sargsyan announced in early September that Armenia
will join the Customs Union.
Despite demonstrations in Yerevan against the decision - due to the
fact that it will likely rule out closer association with the EU -
67% support the move, according to the report. By way of contrast,
just 37% of Azeri's would like to see their country join the Customs
Union - the lowest level of support in any country of the Commonwealth
of Independent States. Over half - 53% - see the club negatively.
Negative opinions have also increased in Moldova and Ukraine, reaching
24% and 28% respectively. However, 50% of Ukrainian respondents and
54% of those in Moldova said they supported Customs Union entry.
Many countries in the post-Soviet space still consider countries
outside the region to be the most attractive sources of foreign
capital. For example, 60% of Tajikistani respondents said China was
the most attractive source of capital, Georgia looked to the US,
Uzbekistan to Japan and Azerbaijan to Turkey.
Meanwhile, a majority of Moldavians and Ukrainians see the EU was
the most attractive source of capital. Both countries say they are
determined to sign trade and association pacts with Brussels in
November, which has seen Moscow raise trade barriers in recent weeks.
Politically, respondents from Central Asia, Armenia and Belarus
were oriented towards the post-Soviet space, while those from Russia,
Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine favoured the EU, and Azerbaijan identified
more closely with Turkey.
http://www.bne.eu/storyf5381/Customs_Union_popular_in_most_postSoviet_states_fi nds_study