Opinions & Interviews

MOSCOW, 26 January (BelTA) – Measures to promote further integration by the parliaments of Belarus and Russia were discussed at a meeting of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Russia Igor Petrishenko with Chairman of the Commission for International Affairs of the Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly of Russia Konstantin Kosachev in Moscow on 24 January, BelTA learnt from the press service of the Belarusian embassy.

“The parties hailed a high level of the Belarusian-Russian cooperation in the international arena and collaboration within inter-parliamentary organizations,” the press service noted.

The sides shared opinions on the state of bilateral relations, including in trade and economic issues as well as considered prospects to expand integration.

According to the press service of the upper chamber of the Russian parliament, the meeting discussed cooperation in agriculture, industry, including mechanical engineering, collaboration in the import-substituting policy. “The Council of the Feeration considers all round cooperation with their counterparts from the Republic of Belarus as an overriding priority,” Konstantin Kosachev said.

Speaking about the legal framework of integration processes in the Eurasian Economic Union, Igor Petrishchenko and Konstantin Kosachev stressed that legal enactments developed in Russia and Belarus should undergo the EEU compliance expert review.

The sides discussed the prospects of interregional cooperation, the role of MPs in establishing and developing trade and economic relations between the regions of the two countries. Igor Petrishenko and Konstantin Kosachev cited the Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia which took place in Minsk in June 2014 as a good example of such cooperation.

“The forum highlighted the most important issue of the agro-industrial security of the two countries. The Russian delegation was led by Chairperson of the Council of the Federation Valentina Matviyenko,” Konstantin Kosachev said. “This year the forum will take place in Novgorod,” he added. The participants of the meeting discussed the preparations for the event.

The parties confirmed the readiness of the two countries to provide all-round support to each other within international parliamentary associations.

Igor Petrishenko and Konstantin Kosachev paid their utmost attention to the inadmissibility of any steps and statements aimed at rewriting the history of WWII, underplaying the role of the Soviet Army in the victory over the Nazis. The sides also discussed joint work in the preparations to mark the 70^th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War in Belarus and Russia.