MINSK, 19 April (BelTA) – The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) should become a full-fledged economic union with equal conditions for its members, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he delivered his Annual State of the Nation Address on 19 April, BelTA has learned.
The head of state stressed that Belarus does not need integration for the sake of integration. “We expect to achieve certain goals that will bring about tangible results for the economies and peoples of our countries. The EAEU should become a full-fledged economic union with equal conditions for its participants. This task will be a priority goal for Belarus during its presidency in the organization in 2020,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
“Today, Belarus is ready to play a bigger role as a trade channel for the multi-million market of the Eurasian Economic Union and the CIS countries with the European Union,” the president said.
Speaking about Belarus’ foreign policy priorities in the East, the head of state noted the country seek to take an active part in the integration associations in the post-Soviet space. Belarus stays committed to the course chosen 20 years ago to develop the Union State with Russia. Aleksandr Lukashenko named cooperation in the CIS among the priorities. He said that for many of the CIS member countries this is virtually the only platform for trade and political dialogue.