Union State Council of Ministers may resume consideration of integration roadmaps in 2020 – Russian ambassador
<p> MINSK, Jul 1 - PrimePress. The Council of Ministers of the Belarus-Russia Union State may get back to the discussion of integration road maps in 2020, Russian Ambassador to Belarus Dmitry Mezentsev told reporters on July 1. </p> <p> </p> <p> He said the Union Council of Ministers will hold a meeting on calendar plans of the Union State this year. Its provisional agenda has already been addressed at a meeting of the high-level intergovernmental group. “It is important that requests of both parties be taken under advisement whenever possible to resume integration talks, get back to the roadmaps and an action plan to implement the Union Treaty,” Mezentsev said. </p> <p> </p> <p> Ambassador of Belarus to Russia Vladimir Semashko said in early June that Belarus was willing to resume integration talks in September-October, and that 28 roadmaps had already been agreed upon. </p> <p> </p> <p> “Economic integration does not threaten the independence or sovereignty of Belarus and Russia. Today we are talking about new positioning, enhanced competitiveness, and facilitated exports of commodities to the markets of third countries,” said the ambassador. </p> <p> </p> <p> As reported, the governments of Belarus and Russia initialed 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 maneuver 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> Semashko said on June 4, 2020 that the package was not signed particularly because the parties did not achieve real progress in energy talks, did not remove trade barriers and did not provide equal economic conditions and guarantees to business entities of Belarus and Russia. Semashko also cited Russia’s ban on the import of automotive fuel, which hits Belarusian exporters. According to the ambassador, in addition to restrictions on participation in public procurement, Belarusian enterprises periodically encounter meat, dairy and vegetable “wars” in the Russian market. End </p>
2020-07-02
Primepress
Union State Council of Ministers may resume consideration of integration roadmaps in 2020 – Russian ambassador
MINSK, Jul 1 - PrimePress. The Council of Ministers of the Belarus-Russia Union State may get back to the discussion of integration road maps in 2020, Russian Ambassador to Belarus Dmitry Mezentsev told reporters on July 1.
He said the Union Council of Ministers will hold a meeting on calendar plans of the Union State this year. Its provisional agenda has already been addressed at a meeting of the high-level intergovernmental group. “It is important that requests of both parties be taken under advisement whenever possible to resume integration talks, get back to the roadmaps and an action plan to implement the Union Treaty,” Mezentsev said.
Ambassador of Belarus to Russia Vladimir Semashko said in early June that Belarus was willing to resume integration talks in September-October, and that 28 roadmaps had already been agreed upon.
“Economic integration does not threaten the independence or sovereignty of Belarus and Russia. Today we are talking about new positioning, enhanced competitiveness, and facilitated exports of commodities to the markets of third countries,” said the ambassador.
As reported, the governments of Belarus and Russia initialed 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 maneuver 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.
Semashko said on June 4, 2020 that the package was not signed particularly because the parties did not achieve real progress in energy talks, did not remove trade barriers and did not provide equal economic conditions and guarantees to business entities of Belarus and Russia. Semashko also cited Russia’s ban on the import of automotive fuel, which hits Belarusian exporters. According to the ambassador, in addition to restrictions on participation in public procurement, Belarusian enterprises periodically encounter meat, dairy and vegetable “wars” in the Russian market. End