MINSK, 17 June (BelTA) – Belarus and Russia have found common ground on a number of agriculture-related matters that are to make part of the Union State integration program that is in the works now. The matter was discussed at the meeting of Agriculture and Food Minister of Belarus Anatoly Khotko with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Patrushev, BelTA has learned.
“As far as the integration program is concerned, we have no major disagreements regarding cooperation and single agricultural production policy. We have reconciled our positions and will summarize them,” Anatoly Khotko noted.
Dmitry Patrushev doubled down on what his Belarusian counterpart said and expressed interest in promoting bilateral cooperation in agriculture. “In our view, the format of the program provides for activities and decisions that have strategic importance for joint economic growth. The Belarusian Ministry of Agriculture and Food sent proposals to the Russian Ministry of Agriculture to specify individual articles of the draft program. We believe that these proposals can be used for the further implementation of concerted decisions,” he added.
The specificities of the program will be discussed after the general integration concept is adopted.
The approaches to the integration are to be discussed at the meeting between Belarus' Premier Sergei Rumas and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in Minsk on 21 June.
