Opinions & Interviews

MOSCOW, 28 June (BelTA) – I have most optimistic expectations about the fourth Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia, State Secretary of the Belarus-Russia Union State Grigory Rapota told the media, BelTA has learned.

“Contracts do not come out of the blue. It takes time, sometimes years, to conclude them. We already can predict some results of the forum as we already know that a number of agreements and contracts will be signed,” Grigory Rapota said.

Grigory Rapota expressed hope that the discussions during the forum will give an additional impetus to both Belarus and Russia, and to the Union State in general. “The Supreme State Council of the Union State will hold a session during the forum. We have been preparing for this event for a while. We will discuss the key issues of the Russian-Belarusian relations. Emphasis will be on two things: the development of mechanical engineering and cooperation in agriculture. This is the main themes. There is also a number of organizational and budget-related issues on the agenda,” he said.

Speaking about the Union State programs Grigory Rapota noted that most of them are divided into two types. The first type is represented by programs that do not have a commercial focus. For example, these include fundamental research. The second type of programs are the ones that aim to turn intellectual achievements into industrial results. They have a commercial focus,” Grigory Rapota said. “At the recent meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Union State we discussed this topic and prepared a report on three programs. It turned out that the effect is quite noticeable. It is millions of dollars that enterprises already earn on the achievements of the scientists who did the research,” he said.

The Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia will be held in Moscow on 29 and 30 June and will focus on the cooperation between the two countries in science, technology and innovation. The business program of the forum includes breakout sessions with the participation of businessmen and relevant ministries and agencies. The participants will discuss ways to advance the development of hi-tech competitive enterprises in Belarus and Russia, step up the cooperation in science and technology, and strengthen the role of information technology in the development of civil society institutions in the Belarus-Russia Union State. They will also consider problems and prospects associated with the harmonization of the laws in the integration context, and prospects for the cooperation between IT companies.

The exhibition showcasing the joint Belarusian-Russian projects in the field of innovation and high technology, youth projects will be co-located with the forum. It will also present the trade, economic and investment potential of the regions of the two countries. A fair of Belarusian products will feature about 60 organizations of Belarus.

The Forum of Regions is designed to promote direct contacts between Belarusian and Russian executive and legislative authorities, business communities and to work out the recommendations for improving the legal framework in order to boost economic growth. The event is powered by the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus and the Council of the Federation of Russia’s Federal Assembly.