Ñòðàíèöà: 20/33
At present, the first stage in the formation of the Customs Union is largely completed. The work done by the three sides is generally recognized to be an important element of the realization of the foundations of the Economic Union and the formation of the common market of CIS countries.
The legal acts on tariff and non-tariff regulation of foreign trade have been unified. Kazakhstan and Russia have signed an agreement on unified control of customs services. An agreement has also been reached on the identity of trade procedures in both countries in relation to third nations, and unified procedures have been introduced on the customs statistics on foreign trade and customs registration of commodities subject to excise. Customs controls on railroads and passenger air traffic between the two countries are lifted step by step.
A treaty has been signed between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation on joint efforts on the protection of outer borders, the term “outer borders” taken to mean the sectors of the border between our countries and the states that are not part of the CIS. The edict of the president of Kazakhstan dated September 19, 1995 On the Lifting of Customs Control on the Border between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation concludes the first stage in the formation of the Customs Union and orders the implementation of joint customs controls on the Kazakhstan and Russian sectors of the outer borders of the Customs Union.
At the second stage of the formation of Kazakhstani-Russian-Belorussian economic efforts to form a customs union, the most important areas of cooperation are a closer coordination of economic reforms; harmonization of civil and economic legislation; unification of currency, tax, and price regulation by the state with the aim of leveling out the economic and legal conditions for the activities of commodity producers within a unified customs space; working out coordinated positions of the members of the Customs Union in relations with third countries and international organizations. At the meeting of heads of CIS countries in November 1995, three more countries stated their desire to join the Customs Union: Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. Later, only Kyrgyzstan went through with the necessary procedures and entered the Customs Union.
Another example of collaboration in the field of integration is the agreement on the Baikonur space vehicle-launching site, which makes it possible to use this great scientific and technological facility in the interests of Russia and Kazakhstan, as well as documents on the issues of citizenship signed by the presidents of Kazakhstan and Russian.
Let us consider in somewhat greater detail the problems of citizenship, of which the solution on a bilateral basis was also outlined in the draft project of the EAU.
Issues of citizenship became particularly prominent at the time of the emergence and building of sovereign independent states after the disintegration of the USSR, when tens of millions of former Soviet citizens overnight ended up outside their "historical homelands." This problem is as topical for Kazakhstan and Russia as for other CIS countries. More than that, it often figures as one of the most important issues of bilateral relations with Russia.
The more acute aspects of this problem were lifted as a result of the signing in January 1995 by the presidents of Russia and Kazakhstan of a treaty on the legal status of citizens of both countries living on the territory of the other state and of an agreement on simplified procedures for acquiring citizenship in moving from one country to another. Well-known specialists from the two countries worked fruitfully on these documents. Authoritative Kazakhstan! and Russian politicians and jurists believe that these are innovative agreements without parallel in the world, and they are a fairly rare example of regulating bilateral issues on a civilized basis. The importance of these agreements both for progressive development of our countries and for normal life of the citizens of Kazakhstan and Russia cannot be exaggerated.
These documents envisage the introduction of maximally simplified procedures for acquiring citizenship and for movement without visas; they also offer possibilities for contract work and military service; assert the rights of possession, use, and disposal of property; create conditions for exchange of currency and transfer of sums of money by individuals and corporate entities of Kazakhstan and Russia; and many other provisions which reliably protect the rights and interests of the citizens of the two countries.
Ðåôåðàò îïóáëèêîâàí: 18/07/2008