Minsk, 9 December (BelTA) – Belarus and Russia have come to terms regarding the removal of existing restrictions on the supplies of Belarusian foodstuffs to Russia, Belarus' Ambassador to Russia Vladimir Semashko told reporters on 8 December commenting on the Sochi talks between Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that took place on 7 December, BelTA has learned.
A harmonized agricultural and industrial policy was high on the agenda of the talks. The Belarusian side believes that the ban on Belarusian food supplies to Russia is ungrounded. According to Vladimir Semashko, a week before the ban extended to some 60 milk processing companies, about 40 meat processing companies, a dozen poultry factories and companies processing fish and producing fodder. “The parties have come to terms and the presidents instructed the agriculture ministries of Belarus and Russia to formalize the compromise in a road map. I believe this is substantial progress,” the ambassador noted.
As far as manufacturing is concerned, the parties agreed in principle on the methods and documents that will be used to make sure that Belarusian manufacturers will not be subject to discrimination. According to the ambassador, the presidents instructed the ministries of economy and industry of the two states to report about the work done in two weeks.
