Problems of Interregional Cooperation Between Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States

摘要

Following the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States [CIS], Russia's trade turnover with the CIS member countries fell from $138.1 billion in 1991 to $25.8 billion in 2002, that is, by more than four-fifths. The greatest fall over this twelve-year period took place in Russia's trade turnover with Georgia (by 97 percent, from $5.5 billion to $0.16 billion), with Armenia (by 96 percent, from $4.3 billion to $0.15 billion), and with Tajikistan and Turkmenistan (by 95 percent). The smallest fall took place in Russia's trade turnover with Belarus (by 47 percent, from $18.7 billion to $9.9 billion), with Kazakhstan (by 76 percent, from $18.1 billion to $4.3 billion), and with Ukraine (by 83 percent, from $54.7 billion to $9.1 billion). The territorial structure of trade underwent significant change over the period under consideration: the share of Belarus in bilateral trade grew markedly (from 13.6 percent to 38.3 percent), the share of Kazakhstan also grew (from 13.1 percent to 16.9 percent), but the shares of all other republics declined.