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Possibility of single currency within Eurasian Economic Union requires consideration, Russian deputy foreign minister says

The possible introduction of a single currency within the future Eurasian Economic Union requires much discussion and consideration, Grigory Karasin, Russia's deputy minister of foreign affairs, said in Minsk on Monday.

The deputy minister said that he had discussed the subject during his talks in Minsk.

He played up the establishment of the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia and the countries' plans to form the Eurasian Economic Union. "Very much depends on how we will be implementing these agreements," he said.

Mr. Karasin dismissed speculation that the Kremlin would "lose interest" in the economic blocs after March's presidential election and said that Belarus and Russia would continue developing their Union State.

Vasil Dalhalyow, Belarus' former ambassador to Russia, expressed certainty that the Customs Union member states would have to adopt a single currency one day. "The question is how this will be done," he added. //BelaPAN