Putin expresses interest in a new "Eurasion Union"

[Magus]

Link

Originally Posted by Reuters

(Reuters) - Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said he wants to bring ex-Soviet states into a "Eurasian Union" in an article which outlined his first foreign policy initiative as he prepares to return to the Kremlin as the country's next president.

Putin said the new union would build on an existing Customs Union with Belarus and Kazakhstan which from next year will remove all barriers to trade, capital and labor movement between the three countries.

"We are not going to stop there and are setting an ambitious goal -- to achieve an even higher integration level in the Eurasian Union," Putin wrote in an article which will be published in Izvestia newspaper on October 4.

Putin said last month he would run in the March 2012 presidential election and his current public approval ratings show that he is set to win.

Putin's initiative comes as Russia nears the end of its 18-year-old negotiations to join the World Trade Organization. In the article Putin made no secret of his skepticism about the global trade watchdog.

"The process of finding new post-crisis global development models is moving forward with difficulty. For example, the Doha round (of international trade talks) has practically stopped. There are objective difficulties inside the WTO," he wrote.

In 2009, Putin threw Russia's bid to join the WTO into disarray, saying Russia would instead form the Customs Union with Belarus and Kazakhstan. The new initiative will have to be explained to WTO members.

WRONG CROSSROADS

Putin, who once called the collapse of the USSR in 1991 "the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century," said his new project would not resemble the Soviet Union.

"It would be naive to attempt to restore or copy something from the past. However, a stronger integration on a new political and economic basis and a new system of values is an imperative of our era," Putin wrote.

Russia's relationship with its ex-Soviet neighbors has been troubled by trade and political disputes and even armed conflicts such as the 2008 war with Georgia.

Putin said he saw the new union as a supra-national body which would coordinate "economic and currency policy" between its members. It would also be open to new members.

Putin said that the Customs Union would expand to take in Central Asian republics of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. He also made a veiled criticism of Ukraine which chose to stay outside the union citing its commitment to European integration.

Some of Russian's neighbors were unwilling to commit to integration because this appeared to contradict their decision to build ties with Europe.

But this was a wrong choice, he wrote. He argued that the Customs Union and in future the Eurasian Union would be the European Union's partner in talks over the creation of a common economic space, guaranteeing its members a stronger voice.

"Membership in the Eurasian Union, apart from direct economic benefits, will enable its members to integrate into Europe faster and from a much stronger position."

Putin wrote that he saw the way out of the global crisis through a regional integration, mentioning the European Union, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as examples.

"These 'bricks' can assemble into a more stable global economy," Putin wrote.

See you after World War III, folks!

But to be serious, it appears he is aiming more for an economic union on par with the European Union as opposed to an actual governmental union...of course, there was that little invasion and annexation of something like half of Georgia that the nations of the world decided was not worthy of an international crisis but instead a shrug of the shoulders and a "Meh." Plus Putin's apparent lifetime leadership of Russia where he just switches his position between President and Prime Minister every election cycle.

So, thoughts?

[shiney]

If I recall, Georgia was actually the aggressor in that incident, but I'm ill-informed so...yeah.

Opinion: This is interesting, but also concerning. Putin et al (with their still fresh concerns of rampant corruption) planning to create a stronger economic force in a time of global economic turmoil, should be treated with far more than the usual dose of caution.

[Karrrrrrrrrrrresche]

Originally Posted by shiney

If I recall, Georgia was actually the aggressor in that incident, but I'm ill-informed so...yeah.

Opinion: This is interesting, but also concerning. Putin et al (with their still fresh concerns of rampant corruption) planning to create a stronger economic force in a time of global economic turmoil, should be treated with far more than the usual dose of caution.

As far as I'm informed of the situation, yeah. Georgia struck first and there wasn't any international precedent or law to call Russia's counterattack illegal.

Georgian troops moved into South Ossetia, and the Russian response was to entirely overwhelm them and force a ceasefire which pretty heavily favored them.

[Kim]

But we've always been at war with Eurasia!

[Fifthfiend]

Yeah I don't know nearly enough about Russia and whatever the fuck goes on there to say much about this except that it's probably terrible.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Basically South Ossetia as a breakaway georgian statewas backed by Russia but pretty much no one else and ever since there was conflict there i the 90s Russia had peacekeeping troops stationed there. Georgia then attacked one night, claiming Russia had moved real troops in but this was pretty much bollocks, and then Russia moved in in response. Georgia fairly clear aggressors there.
With regard to the rest, whie I'm all for big economic unions, one run by Russia- a state which is a giant corrupt shitpile of ex-soviet flunkies creaming it 1980s styes with Putin at the top of the heap- doesn't seem like a good idea.

[Solid Snake]

I'd be surprised if most Eastern European states willingly chose Russia over the EU, to be quite honest. The EU is respectably well-run sociopolitical organization even despite its Greece / Spain / Italy debt problems.

Hell I'd like 'Murica to join the EU, teach us to how to be diplomatic again. You think we can do that? Totally be like "Hey America is now part of Europe?" We'll let Canada tag along if it wants.

[Sifright]

Originally Posted by Solid Snake

I'd be surprised if most Eastern European states willingly chose Russia over the EU, to be quite honest. The EU is respectably well-run sociopolitical organization even despite its Greece / Spain / Italy debt problems.

Hell I'd like 'Murica to join the EU, teach us to how to be diplomatic again. You think we can do that? Totally be like "Hey America is now part of Europe?" We'll let Canada tag along if it wants.

Nah thats okay I don't think we want republicans as part of the EU.. *shudders*

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Originally Posted by Solid Snake

The EU is respectably well-run sociopolitical organization

I want what you're smoking....
Like I suppose by the measure of global politics its not terrible and it will be better than whatever Putin throws together but that is a pretty awful measure.

[Solid Snake]

Originally Posted by Smarty McBarrelpants

I want what you're smoking....
Like I suppose by the measure of global politics its not terrible and it will be better than whatever Putin throws together but that is a pretty awful measure.

Look, comparatively speaking, the EU is awesome.
Of course by "comparatively speaking" I'm comparing it to every other international political organization out there, ranging from the UN to the IMF to the World Bank to whatever Putin's dream is to the African Union to OPEC to...
...oh God just look at everything we've created
As a human race, we absolutely suck