A Central Asian Union was proposed by Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbaev on April 26, 2007, consisting of the five Central Asian republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The proposed Union would primarily deal with interstate border issues, trade, visa regimes, tourism, and security. If realized, the Central Asian Union would represent a counter-balance to the existing Russian-dominated Collective Security Organization and the China-led Shanghai Cooperation Organization.[1] In his proposal, the Kazakh President said:

"In the region, we share economic interest, cultural heritage, language, religion, and environmental challenges, and face common external threats. The founding fathers of the European Union could only wish they had so much in common. We should direct our efforts towards a closer economic integration, a common market and a single currency."

The Journal of Turkish Weekly, Accessed: June 15, 2007
JTW News - Kazakh President Proposes Central Asian Union on the EU Model

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