Russia does not fast track integration with Belarus - Putin
<p> MINSK, Oct 29 - PrimePress. Russian President Vladimir Putin does not consider it necessary to amend the Union State agreement with Belarus, he told the VTB Capital Investment Forum "Russia Calling!" </p> <p> </p> <p> He recalled that the process of creation of the Union State began back in 1999. "Everything is mentioned in the Union State agreement. We do not consider it necessary to amend anything," he said Thursday. </p> <p> </p> <p> Putin also noted that all decisions within the framework of integration processes must be taken by the parties voluntarily and in a coordinated manner, with political and economic interests of either side taken into account. </p> <p> </p> <p> As previously reported, the governments of Belarus and Russia initialled in September 2019 a program to step up integration within the Union State, and approved a list of 31 roadmaps that were expected to be drafted and adopted by November. Presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin were going to approve the entire package of integration documents on December 8, 2019 during the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Union State, but never did. According to Belarus, the parties failed to reach accessory agreements on prices for Russian energy commodities, compensation for Belarus’ losses from the tax manoeuvre in the Russian oil sector, and lifting of restrictions on the Russian market for Belarusian exports. President Lukashenko refused to endorse the roadmaps unless these fundamental economic issues are resolved. </p> <p> </p> <p> On Sep 3, 2020 Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said at a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that Russia and Belarus had reached progress on many issues of the bilateral agenda, including on the future of the Union State. </p> <p> </p> <p> “I want to say that we have had progress on many issues, including on the issue of when we were talking with you and discussing the future of Union State, which will be based on an absolutely independent position of our states, but with corresponding measures of economic nature which we’ve agreed upon,” Mishustin said on Sep 3. End </p>
2020-10-30
Primepress
Russia does not fast track integration with Belarus - Putin
MINSK, Oct 29 - PrimePress. Russian President Vladimir Putin does not consider it necessary to amend the Union State agreement with Belarus, he told the VTB Capital Investment Forum "Russia Calling!"
He recalled that the process of creation of the Union State began back in 1999. "Everything is mentioned in the Union State agreement. We do not consider it necessary to amend anything," he said Thursday.
Putin also noted that all decisions within the framework of integration processes must be taken by the parties voluntarily and in a coordinated manner, with political and economic interests of either side taken into account.
As previously reported, the governments of Belarus and Russia initialled in September 2019 a program to step up integration within the Union State, and approved a list of 31 roadmaps that were expected to be drafted and adopted by November. Presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin were going to approve the entire package of integration documents on December 8, 2019 during the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Union State, but never did. According to Belarus, the parties failed to reach accessory agreements on prices for Russian energy commodities, compensation for Belarus’ losses from the tax manoeuvre in the Russian oil sector, and lifting of restrictions on the Russian market for Belarusian exports. President Lukashenko refused to endorse the roadmaps unless these fundamental economic issues are resolved.
On Sep 3, 2020 Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said at a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that Russia and Belarus had reached progress on many issues of the bilateral agenda, including on the future of the Union State.
“I want to say that we have had progress on many issues, including on the issue of when we were talking with you and discussing the future of Union State, which will be based on an absolutely independent position of our states, but with corresponding measures of economic nature which we’ve agreed upon,” Mishustin said on Sep 3. End