HAS UZBEKISTAN JOINED THE CUSTOMS UNION?

Statements byUzbek president Islam Karimov and Russian prime minister ViktorChernomyrdin during the latter’s visit to Tashkent suggest thetwo countries do not agree on just how committed Uzbekistan isto joining the Russian-led customs union. Karmic stressed in hiscomments that the agreements signed are those "between normalcountries." Chernomyrdin said that the accords, includingeconomic ones, are "to be precise, forever."

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