Speech by Grigory RAPOTA, Secretary-General of the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) at the Eurasian Media Forum 21st April 2005

Distinguished Mr. President,
Distinguished organisers and participants of the forum,
I sincerely welcome you on behalf of the Eurasian Economic Community. It is worth noting that the title of our international organisation is consonant with the title of the media forum. I think this not an accidental but quite regular and remarkable coincidence. Why, the creation of a common economic market that is one of the most significant goals of our organisation – impossible without creating a civilised media market.
The important role of the media in the economic integration of five member states of the EurAsEC – Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan – cannot be overestimated. It should be noted that creating a uniform media market is one of the priorities of integrative interaction between member states of the Community.

In compliance with the intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in distributing information, effective 2002, member states of the Community have been supporting the creation of a favourable environment for joint organisations set up in the territory of member states of the EurAsEC and engaged in making and distributing news. The agreement is designed to extensively and freely distribute news to further enhance the awareness of people in member states of the EurAsEC.

The global media community has been focused on so-called “coloured revolutions” as occurred recently in the former Soviet Union republics. If based on such causes as the “effects of unresolved problems” – also mentioned by President Nursultan Nazarbayev earlier today - the EurAsEC is particularly aimed at resolving such problems.

The root causes of the explosions of instability have been economic issues. The poverty of many people and the lack of a middle class to assure stability are prerequisites to such developments. Thus, effective economic development is the key to the resolution of many problems. Integration may and should and to a large extent already is a positive factor in this respect.

Let me give you a specific example. Two years ago the leaders of five member states of the EurAsEC approved a plan to utilise hydropower resources in central Asia. This plan has been successfully implemented. Last week the start of the building of Sangtudin hydropower plant was officially announced. The implementation of a project for building another - Rogun - hydropower plant and a project for building an aluminum plant are expected to start in the same country. The implementation of similar projects for building two Kambaraty hydropower plants is expected to start in the future in Kyrgyzstan.

Today our community is focused on creating a customs union, creating a uniform currency market, coordinating the views of member states of the EurAsEC on accessing the World Trade Organisation, creating a uniform transport market, setting up an international bank to finance joint investment projects in member states of the EurAsEC and promoting cooperation in agribusiness. Kazakhstan holds the lead in these initiatives as it is active not just in generating ideas but also active in implementing them.
Of course, we are keen to interact with the media in addressing all the above issues. We need an open qualified view on initiatives taken by the community. We need a fresh outside look, unbiased analysis and constructive dialogue. I hope that the Eurasian Media Forum will give a powerful incentive to such a dialogue.

We are open to the media. We have been working with and are willing to work more actively with the media.
I wish the Forum every success!