Putin edges towards Eurasian Union
Russian president misses G8 summit to visit nations earmarked to become part of intercontinental vision.
Published On 8 Jun 2012
Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, has arrived in Kazakhstan – the last stop on his tour of Asia.
Kazakhstan, along with Russia and Belarus, have formed the Common Economic Space (CES), a new customs union created to protect their economies.
This week in St Petersburg, Putin asked European leaders to recognise the organisation.
The CES is considered a stepping stone in the president’s grander vision – the creation of a Eurasian Union where a common currency and even a parliament have been touted.
Al Jazeera’s Robin Forestier-Walker reports from the Kazakh city of Almaty.
Source: Reuters