MOSCOW, March 28. /TASS/. Russia’s initiative of the Greater Eurasian Partnership is being implemented despite all the current difficulties, Dmitry Birichevsky, head of the Department of Economic Cooperation at the Russian Foreign Ministry, said at the International Economic Forum of the CIS Member States.
"The Russian initiative of the Greater Eurasian Partnership, which was put forward by Russian President Vladimir Putin, is objectively being implemented as a result of the convergence of efforts and the so-called integration of integrations of those large systemic interstate associations that maximally cover key markets and already form a very significant share in the global economy," Birichevsky said.
However, the diplomat acknowledged that this is a very difficult task in the Eurasian space, pointing out the absence in the region of a single integration structure similar to those that exist, for example, in Africa and Latin America. According to him, it is not even about creating a formal structure, but about deploying a kind of "umbrella that could informally, without any red tape, without any obligations, unite everyone within the framework that already exists in the form of the Eurasian Economic Union, the CIS and other international organizations in which the countries of the continent participate."
He also noted that now Russia has to build up cooperation with interested foreign partners in the "silence mode" amid sanctions and political pressure.
"We cooperate with those [countries] that are interested in it. Now we have to do this in "silence mode" so as not to attract the attention of those who want and are aimed at preventing such constructive cooperation, but nevertheless, these ties are increasing largely in spite of the sanctions and political pressure that is currently happening," he said.
TASS is the general information partner of the forum.