MOSCOW, 27 October (BelTA) – Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and Russia Vladimir Makei and Sergei Lavrov have signed a coordinated foreign policy action plan for 2016-2017. The document was initialed in Moscow on 27 October following the joint board of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and Russia, BelTA informs.
Vladimir Makei told media that the coordinated foreign policy action plan would be approved by the Supreme State Council of the Union State. “It is a profound, multi-purpose and systemic document that covers all spheres of cooperation. It is a document of direct action for our ministries,” the minister said.
The plan of ministerial consultations between Belarus and Russia for 2016 was also signed at the meeting. According to Vladimir Makei, the plan includes a wide range of topics, 28 area of foreign policy coordination.
According to the Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs, one of the most important areas of cooperation for the two countries is their interaction on the UN platform. “The common goal for Belarus and Russia on the international arena is a search for solutions to global and regional issues,” he said.
Another important issue on the bilateral agenda for the Belarusian and Russian Ministries of Foreign Affairs is the foreign political support of the Eurasian integration process, said Vladimir Makei. In his words, Belarus, as the chair of the EEU in 2015, has introduced the draft resolution on granting the observer status in the UN General Assembly to the Eurasian Economic Union.
According to the minister, the rapprochement of the two integration platforms, the EU and the EEU, is important for Belarus. “Belarus during its presidency in the EEU has submitted our corresponding proposals,” he said. Vladimir Makei stressed that this rapprochement would take time. “The main thing, however, is to make the first step and see the prospects,” he added.
