DUSHANBE, July 19, 2011, Asia-Plus -- Since Tajikistan does not have common border with Belarus, Kazakhstan or Russia, it may join the Customs Union only after Kyrgyzstan that borders Kazakhstan joins it, because one of conditions of joining the Customs Union is existence of common border.

Nemat Rahmatov, deputy head of the Customs Service under the Government of Tajikistan, remarked this at a news conference in Dushanbe on July 18.

“The Customs Union is a step to formation of a common economic space,” Rahmatov said, noting that a special group has been set up at the government on issues related to Tajikistan’s joining the Customs Union.  According to him, the final decision will be made only after thorough consideration of the possible consequences of Tajikistan’s joining the Customs Union.  

The Customs Union between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus came into existence on January 1, 2010.  The three states are to go on with economic.  From February 1, 2012,  integration and removed all customs borders between Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia after July 1, 2011.  From January 1, 2012, the three states are expected to introduce the single economic space.  Leaders of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan voiced their interest in potentially joining the union.  Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has stated that Ukraine may potentially join the Customs Union in the future, but that the Constitution of Ukraine currently does not allow that.

According to some experts, Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus have launched a customs union as a first step towards forming a broader EU-type economic alliance of former Soviet states.