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THE ROLE OF KAZAKHSTAN in modern integration processes in the Eurasian space
Dyussembekova Maira, Dossymkhan Yenglik L. Gumilyov Eurasian National University
maira.enu@mail.ru
This article considers integration processes in the Eurasian space, in particular the role of Kazakhstan in integration projects. The history of Kazakhstan's accession to regional integration associations and their impact on the economic and political aspects of the country. As well as the creation of the Eurasian economic union in comparison with the European Union.
Keywords: integration, Eurasian space, Eurasian Economic Union, economic space, European Union
Eurasian integration is one of the most important areas of foreign policy of modern Kazakhstan. The ideology and practice of Eurasian integration are an important part of state policy.
Kazakhstan has become the first state in the area of the former USSR actively promoting the idea of restoring cooperative ties, economic cooperation on a new basis.
The process of integration of peoples and countries has become an integral part of the modern world. Various integration takes place almost everywhere, in many regions, thus, regional integrations are emerging. In this regard the Eurasian region is no exception. For a long time this region has been a platform for fruitful cultural, social, economic and political cooperation, presence of deep traditions, as well as many years of historical experience is obvious.
The modern Eurasian space (taking into consideration the concentration of economic power, demographic resources, hydrocarbon reserves, as well as military and political potentials of states) is becoming one of the main centers of the world and regional politics in the 21st century [1].
At the heart of Eurasian integration lies the idea of building a multipolar world, with which the geopolitical project - the Eurasian Economic Union is being aligned. In fact, the modern multipolar world is a system of global regions, which means "the formation of regional centers of economic, political, cultural and civilizational nature" [2].
At the moment, the Republic of Kazakhstan plays an important role in the integration processes of the region, moreover, in many aspects it comes as the initiator. Kazakhstan is confidently developing on its way to the formation of a modern industrial state having a predictable and balanced foreign policy, a competitive economy, actively using numerous multilateral integration platforms to further promote, achieve and protect the national interests of the country. Since gaining independence the Republic of Kazakhstan at times acts as the main initiator and active participant of projects on the integration processes of the states of the post-Soviet space. Kazakhstan's active position in the field of integration processes in the Eurasian region is expressed through such initiatives as the idea of creating the Customs
Union, then the Eurasian Union, and the Common Economic Space. In addition, Kazakhstan is an active participant in all regional organizations such as CSTO, ECO, SCO and others.
Even in the period of the formation of the CIS as an organization, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev during his speech at the Lomonosov Moscow State University in 1994 put forward an initiative for establishing the Eurasian Union. The essence of this idea was "voluntary, equal integration, joint political and economic development of the post-Soviet states, common promotion of the CIS countries to strong positions in the global world" [3].
To date, the Eurasian idea of the President of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev has been implemented in three dimensions of integration at the regional level - first of all the economic dimension, then the military-political and humanitarian dimensions. It can be confidently said that no leader of any state in the world shows such perseverance in the promotion of the idea of integration, and Eurasian integration in particular. Consistent development of the foreign policy of the Republic and consideration of the objectives set before the country were reflected in the new document "The Concept of the Foreign Policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2014-2020" [4]. First of all, it is necessary to highlight further aspiration of Kazakhstan to the promotion of integration processes. Eurasian integration for us is one of the important parts of Kazakhstan's overall integration into the world economy and world economic relations.
In this concept it was noted that "considering Eurasian economic integration as one of the effective ways of moving the country to stable positions in the system of world economic relations, Kazakhstan will strengthen the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space ..." [4, p.5].
Within the framework of this process, according to the Kazakhstan's Foreign Policy Concept "such fundamental principles as the inviolability of political sovereignty, the economic soundness of the decisions made, phasing, pragmatism and mutual benefit, equal representation of the parties in all integration bodies and consensus at all levels of integration interaction will be adhered" [4, p.7].
The President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev noted that "Kazakhstan is a unique state in Asia, in which European and Asian roots are intertwined. Representatives of different ethnicities make up unity in diversity. The combination of different cultures and traditions allows us to absorb the best achievements of European and Asian cultures" [3].
However, despite the fact that the Kazakhstani expert community perceives the integration in differently, its representatives unanimously support the need to advocate the interests of Kazakhstan by maximum, which outside the integration will not be able to create the necessary industrial infrastructure and ensure its economic efficiency.
At this stage the priority in Eurasian integration is given to the economic aspect rather than political one. The creation of the Eurasian Economic Union has become the result of many years of efforts and aspirations for integration, now it is the union of Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. That is, this union is purely economic in nature, which is quite logical, so at one time the European integration had an exclusively economic purpose.
As the experience of the European Union, as the most successful integration union in the modern world, shows, for confident promotion of quality and beneficial integration there must be a certain "locomotive", which in the European case were Germany and France. Consequently, in the Eurasian integration this role should be left to Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus, exactly from the union of these states the ideas of Eurasianism began and have been further promoted [5].
The experience that has been accumulated by leading European countries in the creation of the European integration system will be very useful in practical application to our region in the future.
The difficult practice of many year integration has taught Europeans to be cautious and pragmatic. The evidence for this is not only constant discussion among politicians and scientists. During it confidently breaks the way to the designation of those moments around which it is possible to unite efforts or wait for heated disputes.
Integration is a difficult way of aligning national ambitions, genuine problems of co-development of different level economies, structures, convergence of social, legal and etc., historical spaces, which requires a high supranational wisdom, the understanding that the new stage of world development is based on regionalization. Moreover, the understanding that integration is impossible without an initiative core.
The European Union arises from the equality of the participating states united in it, and is a union of special kind. In its operation, it is guided by the principle of maintaining individual specific powers delegated to it by the participating states.
In the theory of development the process of integration is accompanied by a partial transfer of the share of sovereignty to supranational bodies. The rejection of this principle makes integration practically impossible. In the process of establishing the European Union, specific powers were delegated to it on the side of its participants.
The basic provisions of the Union are of practical importance for the development of the CIS. The practice of building the European Union has shown those opportunities that can be used in disputable situations. So, if the national law comes into conflict with the EU law, that is the treaty on the Union, the former does not have any impact. However it does not become invalid, because the principle according to which the right of the community annuls national law does not apply. Rather, it is about the advantage of the application: where EU law by content is the opposite, national law cannot be applied.
The creation of the European Union, as we see it now, took more than 60 years and therefore the Eurasian Union needs time.
One cannot omit the fact that the period of the last century differs in many respects from the modern time, therefore, it can be assumed that the Eurasian integration will be accelerated rather than the European one. However here is a slightly different picture of the region. There are various disagreements between the states of the post-Soviet space such as the problem of water resources, energy, the factor of personalities of the countries' leaders and many more. In this case, Eurasian integration in the form of the Eurasian Union on a voluntary and equal basis will exclude any conflicts and disagreements [6].
The solution of common problems in the region depends on the interaction of politicians and their policies: either the neighbors will establish relations of cooperation and mutual understanding, or they will be confronted in the face of ever-increasing pressure from the outside. In this sense, the idea of the Eurasian Union is objectively justified, it is theoretically possible and, in the context of mutual understanding and manifestation of political will, is realizable in practice.
The coordinated investment policy will contribute to the development of integration processes. It is necessary to create financial and industrial groups, in which enterprises and banks of all Central Asian countries can be included.
The creation of a common economic space is difficult to implement without a quality system of collective security. Cooperation in the field of the economy can not develop to the proper extent without the adequate provision of military and political security. Therefore,
ensuring the security of own state is a top priority for both Kazakhstan and other countries in the region.
There are such regional security unions as the CSTO and the SCO, but it is still too early to talk about the military and political component of the Eurasian Union. In the near future Kazakhstan can play the role of a buffer and shield to curb negative political tendencies, and also claim the role of an economic integration hub because of its favorable geopolitical location, ambition and initiative in the field of economy.
Thus, the ideas of the Eurasianism of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev and their development in modern history are progressive and dynamic in nature. Further prospects for the implementation of this initiative are ambitious and represent one of the priority directions of the country's development. Moreover, a considerable part of it has already been implemented in reality. Eurasian integration clearly demonstrates that the formation of the same type national models does not abolish the political independence of the states of the region. At the same time, numerous prerequisites are created for the modernized type of their relationships, which are based on trust, partnership and the application of the same principles and criteria to both economic and political interaction.
Reference list
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3. Lecture of Nazarbayev N. in the Lomonosov Moscow State University. // http: //yeurasia. org/nazarbaev_msu_1994/ 04.2015
4. The Concept of Foreign Policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2014-2020 //http://mfa.gov.kz/index.php/ru/vneshnyaya-politika/kontseptsiya-vneshnoj-politiki-rk-na-2014-2020-gg.10.04.2015
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