​Kyrgyz, Russian Presidents To Discuss Customs Union

Russia's Vladimir Putin (left) and Kyrgyzstan's Almazbek Atambaev meeting in December 2013

The office of the Kyrgyz president says the Kyrgyz and Russian presidents are expected to discuss the prospect of Kyrgyzstan's joining the Russia-led customs union.

Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev arrived in Moscow on May 7 to attend a regional meeting.

Atambaev's aide, Sapar Isakov, said that "consultations" over Kyrgyzstan's potential accession to the group were under way for five days, and that the details "are now being elaborated."

Earlier, Kyrgyz Prime Minister Joomart Otorbaev said his government was seeking to postpone Kyrgyzstan's potential membership.

Otorbaev added that the road map for Kyrgyzstan joining the customs union was not ready yet.

Otorbaev said that once the road map was approved by the Kyrgyz people and adopted by the government, it would be sent for approval by the union's member states -- Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus.
Based on reporting by knews.kg, ITAR-TASS, and RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service