Russian President Dmitry Medvedev begins...

Medvedev, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a package of deals on November 27 in Minsk to create the customs union with common tariffs, paving the way for a single economic space.

"Medvedev, Lukashenko and Nazarbayev are expected to approve at the current meeting a draft plan to form a single economic space," a Kremlin source said.

In June 2009, the heads of governments of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of their intention to join the world trade club as a customs union.

The three ex-Soviet republics suspended their bilateral negotiations on the WTO entry to hold consultations on a common position on the customs union.

In October 2009, Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus announced they would resume talks on WTO accession separately, but on synchronized positions.

MOSCOW, December 16 (RIA Novosti)