Russian Preme Minister Dmitry Medvedev said, while speaking about necessity of setting up the Eurasian Union, that Russia did not try to restore the USSR. He stated about it in the interview to the Georgian TV Company Rustavi-2, which was broadcasted on Tuesday, August 6, on the threshold of the fifth anniversary of August war, Black Sea Press reported.
"This idea has always been supported by Russian leaders. Not because the union could be used to promote Russia's dominating influence, but because we see this as the most civilized and modern way of co-existence with our neighbors", Medvedev said.
According to him, the question is about necessity of "an equal and modern form of integration, the convergence of economic potential, mutually beneficial trade and commerce, investments, collaboration over social issues and culture. This concept is now being put into practice.
"Why would that be of interest for Georgia and other countries? Because we are neighbors. We will never be neighbors with the United States, no matter what", he noted.
"Whatever is going on in the European Union, we can see that their economies are well integrated and fairly safe in the long term. They have a common currency, a common market and common values. This is a generally beneficial environment and we should follow this example. We can't borrow everything, of course. What doesn't work will be rejected. But generally it is a good example. We are thinking of establishing a similar union here", the Prime Minister of RF stated.
Medvedev noted that the question was not about the USSR restoration.
"Who needs the Soviet Union to be restored? We were all born in the USSR and there is no reason to go back to that. We now live in the 21st century. We can develop highly-integrated economies where there are no inferior and superior members and all rights are observed and economic interests are met as best possible", the Russian Premier said.