ST. PETERSBURG, 17 July (BelTA) - The concept of further action to formulate the proposals on the Belarusian-Russian integration has been agreed, Belarus Economy Minister Dmitry Krutoi said during the 6th Forum of Regions of Russia and Belarus in St. Petersburg on 17 July, BelTA has learned.
“We have prepared a package of proposals for the talks for the president. The working group worked out the draft programs which the heads of state exchanged in May. I believe that the concept of further work is generally agreed,” the minister said.
According to Dmitry Krutoi, there are various options to address individual issues. This, as he suggests, will be discussed at the talks between Aleksandr Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.
As BelTA reported earlier, Belarus Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei expressed confidence that the forthcoming Belarusian-Russian top-level meeting in St. Petersburg will be constructive and meaningful. “I think that it will be constructive because the group [Belarusian-Russian group] carried out preparatory work. It will be important to discuss the agreements that have been reached,” the minister said.
According to Vladimir Makei, the parties view some issues differently. “I think that during the meeting it will be possible to narrow these differences and work out a common understanding of what the process of further integration should look like,” the minister said.
