A Russian think tank says the China's Silk RoadEconomic Belt project is likely to set in motion "a Central Eurasian joint development zone - with the level of integration close to that of the European Union."

The China-proposed "Silk Road Economic Belt" is "not only a transit-transport project, but also a comprehensive plan for the economic development of a number of states," read a statement by the Valdai Discussion Club, a Russian think tank that issued a report on the project over the weekend.

The creation of the belt "will allow for the establishment of a stable environment in the entire center of Eurasia, as well as for bringing out the region's full potential," according to the statement.

The economic integration of Central Eurasia is particularly relevant to countries like Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, the statement quoted Andrei Bystritsky, chairman of the foundation that funds the think tank, as saying.