Opinions & Interviews

Opinion: EAEU, Union State can naturally complement each other

ST. PETERSBURG, 17 July (BelTA) – The Eurasian Economic Union and the Union State of Belarus and Russia can naturally complement each other, State Secretary of the Union State Grigory Rapota told the media on the margins of the 6th Forum of Regions of Russia and Belarus in St. Petersburg on 17 July, BelTA has learned.

Grigory Rapota is attending the high level session of experts “Union State Development Priorities”. Among the recommendations of the experts for the outcome document of the forum is the suggestion to continue searching for effective formats of aligning the Union State and the EAEU. Grigory Rapota said that he sees no contradictions between them. “These two integration associations can naturally complement each other if no artificial contradictions are created,” he said.

Grigory Rapota believes that some issues can be effectively addressed in the Union State, others at the level of the EAEU and this experience can be further scaled up in the Eurasian space.

Grigory Rapota added that the Standing Committee of the Union State and the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) keep in close touch. “We are always welcome to consult the EEC. They are welcome guests in the Union State,” he stressed.

When asked about the working group on the issues of Belarus-Russia integration, Grigory Rapota informed that the Standing Committee is pitching in. “We actually work on them daily. Maybe it makes sense to have a fresh look at them,” he said.

The main program of the 6th Forum of Regions opened in St. Petersburg on 17 July. The session of experts is discussing the strategic development of the Union State. The panel discussions address the issues of the common educational, cultural and informational space, humanitarian projects, cooperation of regions and other issues.

The presidents of Belarus and Russia are expected to attend the plenary session on 18 July. It will focus on interregional relations as the basis for the development of the common cultural and humanitarian space.

The meeting of national business councils will bring together business representatives from both countries. The Inter-Parliamentary Commission of the Council of the Republic of Belarus and the Federation Council of Russia will take stock of the 5th Forum of Regions which took place in Mogilev and together with representatives of the appropriate agencies will discuss the development of transport capacities and modernization of the infrastructure of the Union State.

Cooperation agreements between regions of the two countries, commercial contracts, other documents on cooperation will be signed during the forum which will last till 18 July.

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