Expert: Kyrgyzstan seeks membership in custom union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan has applied for membership in the customs union of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan. Economist Leanid Zlotnikau reckons the country is very likely to be accepted. Zlotnikau: "It has been a common knowledge for a long time that Kyrgyzstan is planning to join the customs union. From Russia's point of view, the aim of the customs union is to restore the single economic space on the territories of the former Soviet republics".

But many former Soviet countries do not wish to join the union, because Russia cannot become a source of investments and high technologies. For example, Ukraine refused to join the customs union, because it needs economic integration with the European Union, said the economist.