Central Asian integration is driven by expectations of interests from the countries and by
political promotion (domino effects are manifested through the push from political leaders),
but there has not been an economic basis, and countries are not sure what exactly they
can gain through integration. Consider the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and
Russia, for example. If it could not be promoted through policy improvement, industry
upgrading, and technological spillover, and if it only focused on short-term trade diversion
effect, then, in the long run, such a customs union would be a mere formality similar to
the early Central Asian integration organizations.