MINSK, 23 May (BelTA) - The Belarus-Russia working group on various aspects of integration will convene soon, Belarus Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei told the media on 23 May, BelTA has learned.
“All proposals are on the table. I think that the working group on integration will begin its work soon,” the minister said.
It is expected that the working group will scale up its activities after a joint meeting of representatives of the two states. “Of course, they need to meet first, discuss the proposals, put everything together and then after the discussion (this cannot be done without a joint meeting) will report to the heads of state on the things they agreed upon,” Vladimir Makei said. Time and place of the meeting have not been set yet.
The minister did not go into detail about Belarus' proposals. He said that these proposals will be about “peaceful, normal movement towards the implementation of those agreements that were achieved in due time.”
According to him, the working group on integration has no plans to discuss oil and petroleum products. He believes that oil issues should not be confused with issues of integration. “Of course we need to discuss oil issues. We need to come to grips with the issues that are overripe,” Vladimir Makei said.
BelTA reported earlier that an arrangement was reached to set up a joint working group to discuss various aspects of integration and integration-related issues during the meeting of the presidents of Belarus and Russia in late 2018.
