Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 18 September (Belarus) - Effective economic cooperation with the Eastern and Western neighbors is crucial for Belarus, Belarus’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva Yuri Ambrazevich noted at the 64th annual session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) which will last through 22 September, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Yuri Ambrazevich called upon the United Nations to continue discussing the idea of “integration of integrations”. Minsk intends to promote the harmonization of cooperation between regional and sub-regional economic unions and other integration associations, the diplomat underlined. Belarus is in favor of setting up a regular global forum to discuss the interaction and compatibility of regional integration processes.

Belarus is keen to continue using Minsk as a venue for relevant discussions following the international conferences the city hosted in partnership with the UN Economic Commission in 2016 and also during Belarus’ CEI presidency in 2017. The UNCTAD member states were invited to consider the possibility of holding an international conference with the participation of the leading regional economic integration associations from across the globe in Minsk in 2018 or 2019.

Yuri Ambrazevich emphasized that Belarus is located at the junction of the European and Eurasian economic integration processes. The country, he said, advocates the idea of practical rapprochement of regional integration associations. The diplomat underlined the importance of effective economic cooperation with the Eastern and Western neighbors in the Eurasian Economic Union and in relations with the EU.