The leaders of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan announced Saturday that a common economic space would be established among the three countries before 2012 to further enhance cooperation .
"We will further deepen the process of integration under the framework of the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC). A common economic space will be established before Jan. 1, 2012," said Russian President Dmitry Medvedev,
Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev in a joint statement at an informal meeting of leaders from
ex-Soviet nations held here.
On Nov. 27, the three leaders signed a package of documents setting up
a single customs union effective from Jan. 1, 2010 in a bid to seek joint accession to the World Trade Organization.
The customs union would promote the trade among the three nations, improve the competitiveness of products and win investing opportunities. It would promote and deepen the cooperation among members of the EurAsEC and
enhance the mutually beneficial and cooperative relations among ex-Soviet countries, the statement said.