Eurasian Economic Union 'would welcome' Turkey’s membership

Sevil Erkuş - sevil.erkus@hurriyet.com.tr ANKARA

Turkey has yet to make an official application for membership of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), but it would be welcome to join, Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Turkey has said.

The heads of states from Turkey and EEU member countries have discussed the issue of Turkey’s membership before to the union, Ambassador Zhanseit Tuimebayev told reporters on Jan. 22, speaking at a joint press conference with the ambassadors of Russia, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan in Ankara.

The union, which officially began Jan. 1, does not have a political agenda and is solely an economic alliance.

“We attach importance to enhancing cooperation with Turkey on economy and trade,” Belarus Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Savinykh said, adding that they would welcome any bid by Turkey to become a member of the EEU.

The EEU aims at the free movement of goods, services and capital, coordinated policies in agriculture and industry, cooperation in major infrastructure projects, and the formation of joint energy markets for natural gas and petroleum products, Savinykh also said.