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MINSK, 22 June (BelTA) – It is important to implement a coordinated research and development strategy together with partners in the Eurasian Economic Union. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko made the statement during the fifth Belarusian People’s Congress on 22 June, BelTA has learned.

“In the last few years both Russia and Kazakhstan have established a number of enterprises, which are similar to those in Belarus, contrary to our agreements. In essence, these enterprises work in parallel and put excessive pressure on the common market of our countries. These enterprises have to compete with each other while it would be strategically prudent to step up specialization in individual segments and promote manufacturing cooperation ties. Why do we have to waste resources, which are spare as it is, in order to create something we already have? Why would we want to do it even if resources were plentiful? An enterprise is more than manufacturing. It also includes R&D efforts and a system to train qualified personnel. All of it costs a lot of money,” said Alexander Lukashenko.

The head of state stressed that the government and designated officials should put more efforts into resolving problems via charter bodies of the Eurasian Economic Union. “The goal is unchanged and understandable: we should create a full-value common market without exemptions and restrictions,” noted Alexander Lukashenko.

The President drew attention to the fact that Belarus is ready to step up manufacturing cooperation ties with partners in the Eurasian Economic Union. Belarus is ready to develop specializations, ready to promote products on remote markets together, ready to set up enterprises together with Russia in order to use Russian raw materials and intermediate goods to sell end products on the large market of the European Union. “We are talking about oil products, chemical fibers and yarns as well as metallurgical products,” stressed the Belarusian leader.

“During a recent meeting in Astana Russian President Vladimir Putin invited EEU member states to take part in Russian programs. It is a very good and correct decision that aims to achieve results. We should grab the opportunity. We’ve sketched out large-scale R&D projects that we intend to implement in 2016-2020,” said the Belarusian leader. The most important ones include the creation of a new satellite communication system, the development of the system for the remote sensing of the Earth, the development of the biotechnology industry based on fine chemistry, genetics, stem cell technologies, scientific support for nuclear energy industry.