The Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union may become equivalent partners, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said during a meeting with heads of CIS mass media in Minsk on Monday.
ArmInfo's correspondent quotes Lukashenko as saying that Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan have already created a Customs Union and are close to creating a Eurasian Economic Union.
"Considering the wish of a number of countries to join this project, the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union may shortly become almost equivalent partners on the geopolitical chess board. As soon as they do, their interests will have to be balanced out. And this is a real life proof that the idea of integration of integrations is absolutely realistic," Lukashenko said.
He is sure that the dialogue with Europe will be more effective if it is conducted on a joint rather than individual basis. "Individual negotiations are often humiliating for aspirant states, while together we are a force they will have to respect," the Byelorussian President said.
He advised the CIS countries stop looking back at the European Union in whatever integration step they take. "We must learn to value what we have long had. Europe still has much to do to integrate, while our countries have huge experience of co-existence. So, we must preserve and develop the CIS as a platform for dialogue and joint decisions," Lukashenko said.