RF govt to ratify package of agts on Common Economic Space

MOSCOW, May 5 (Itar-Tass) - The Russian government's presidium on
Thursday will consider a package of key agreements that lay the foundation
for the functioning of the Common Economic Space (CES) of Russia, Belarus
and Kazakhstan. The approval of the documents with their following
submission to the president for ratification will be the main item on the
meeting's agenda, RF prime minister's press secretary Dmitry Peskov told
Itar-Tass.
In particular, the ministers will consider an agreement on coordinated
principles of the currency policy, which defines the basic principles of
the monetary policy pursued by the parties, as well as aimed at promoting
cooperation in the monetary and financial sphere. The RF Finance Ministry
explained that the agreement concerns, in particular, the "stabilisation
of the national currencies rates, more widespread use of national
currencies in settlements and the formation of an integrated currency
market."
Then Secretary of State - Deputy Energy Minister Yuri Sentyurin will
present documents that regulate the relationship between the CES
participating states in the energy sector.
Among them there is an agreement on access to services of natural
monopolies in the electricity sector, including the basics of pricing and
tariff policy, which defines the principles of interstate transmission of
electric power.
There is also an agreement on the order of the organisation,
management, operation and development of common markets of oil and
petroleum products. According to the agreement, "the parties within the
technical capabilities ensure the guaranteed possibility of long-term
transportation of crude oil and petroleum products produced from it,
through the current transport system."
The agreement on trade and economic cooperation in the sphere of
supplies of oil and oil products to Kazakhstan envisages that "the parties
shall not apply export customs duties and other duties, taxes, and charges
that have equivalent effect." The document also envisages "matching the
balance of production, consumption, supply, import and export of oil,
petroleum products in the territories of the states parties to the
agreement, including the volume of oil supplies from Russia and Kazakhstan
to Belarus."
A separate document regulates the rules of access to services of
natural monopoly entities in the gas transportation sphere through gas
transportation systems, including the basics of pricing and tariff policy.
It, in particular, obligates the parties to ensure access of economic
entities of other participating countries to the gas transportation
systems to satisfy domestic demand on equal terms. "The volumes, prices
and tariffs for gas transportation, as well as commercial and other
conditions of gas transportation through the gas-transport systems are
regulated by civil law agreements between economic entities of the
parties," it is stressed in the agreement.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economic
Development will propose to endorse agreements on the creation of
conditions on financial markets to ensure free movement of capital and on
common principles and rules of competition. The meeting agenda also
includes documents that unify the three countries' approaches in the
sphere of public procurement, the legal status of migrant workers and
combating illegal migration.
Having dealt with the ratification documents, which were signed by the
heads of government in December 2010, the ministers will consider an
agreement with Croatia, which, on the initiative of the Croatian side,
introduces the visa regime for nearly all categories of Russian citizens.
Thus, a single-entry visa for up to 3 months will be issued by Croatia
within 2-5 days. And the visa-free regime will be preserved only for
holders of diplomatic and service passports.
After that, on the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the
presidium members will consider the issue of allocation of 10 million
euros in 2011-2013 for the Instruments of Support to projects of the
Arctic Council. At the end of the meeting RF Emergency Situations Minister
Sergei Shoigu will report on the allocation of money from the reserve fund
to a number of regions that have been recently affected by natural
calamities.
-0-ezh