Jayashekar Since the beginning of 1993, the leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have decided to take a number of steps in the direction of mutual co-operation and creation of a common economic space. On the other hand, they have made very little effort, so far, to harmonise their economic policies. Their economic policies, adopted under domestic political and economic compulsions, have only contributed to the fragmentation of the inherited common economic space. After an evaluation of both the integrative and the disintegrative forces, the author suggests various alternative scenarios in the future economic evolution of the CIS.
