Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 12 July (BelTA) – The session of the Supreme State Council of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, which took place in Moscow on 30 June, was heartwarming and effective, BelTA learned from the interview Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko gave to the TASS news agency.

Alexander Lukashenko said: “Let me surprise you by saying that the importance of items on the agenda was not the key thing, the items were super important. The ambience of the Supreme State Council session was important. I’ve said it openly that we’ve never had such openness and warm-heartedness and, most of all, efficiency in the entire history of the Union State of Belarus and Russia.”

The president said that the session began with restricted-attendance talks. The sides decided to address the issues that were lying on the surface and did not necessarily had to be discussed by a large number of people. “Those were nothing. We should have dealt with them a long time ago. And we resolved these issues, they were important, too,” noted the head of state.

The restricted-attendance talks also touched upon the international agenda, including conflicts in Syria and Ukraine. “We touched upon some strategic matters since we had to draw attention to them not only during negotiations between the two presidents. They needed to be put on the agenda of the Supreme State Council for the future,” added the Belarusian leader.

Alexander Lukashenko reminded that the Fourth Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia was taking place simultaneously with the Supreme State Council session in Moscow. The two events should be viewed together. “During the session of the Supreme State Council we discussed two most important, fundamental matters: the manufacturing sector and agriculture. Then we approved foreign policy plans. [Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei] Lavrov and [Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir] Makei work just fine, they are an example to follow for everyone. We discussed some defense matters such as the Zapad 2017 army exercise,” he said. “We are getting flak for this exercise while NATO forces are getting deployed near our borders, Belarusian and Russian borders.” The sides also discussed interaction in defense industry.

As far as cooperation in the manufacturing sector is concerned, Belarus and Russia agreed that it is necessary to step up manufacturing cooperation. Apart from that, it was noted that there is no need for effectively operating enterprises in Belarus and Russia to make the same products.

Alexander Lukashenko mentioned the speech by President of Russia Vladimir Putin, who praised the work of Belarusian specialists to create agricultural enterprises in Sakhalin. “We would like to prove that there is no need to transport any products over there, that it is possible to produce good meat and milk in addition to the abundance of fish over there,” said the Belarusian leader.

Asked about his views on the future of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, Alexander Lukashenko stressed that the process is in motion and it will be virtually impossible to stop.