A planned customs union between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan could hinder international trade and dent their plans to join the World Trade Organisation, Reuters quoted the EU's foreign policy chief as saying today. Russia, which has spent 16 years negotiating to join the WTO, surprised the world last year when Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced plans to form a customs union between Russia and its former Soviet neighbours Belarus and Kazakhstan. That three-way union is expected formally to come into force from July 1, despite a dispute in recent weeks between Russia and Belarus over oil-export duties. Speaking to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, Catherine Ashton, said the pending union had raised concerns in Europe. -- SPA
