MOSCOW, 6 September (BelTA) – The prime ministers of Belarus and Russia intend to finish reconciling the program on stepping up integration. Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Rumas made the relevant statement after meeting with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on 6 September, BelTA has learned.
Sergei Rumas said before expanded-participation negotiations: “I am glad that today we have an opportunity to discuss results of the great work our experts and working groups of [Russian Economy Minister Maksim] Oreshkin and [Belarusian Economy Minister Dmitry] Krutoi have done. We've just discussed certain minor changes of the program, which the experts are concerned about for now. I think today we will sum up results of the large amount of work done to reconcile the draft action program.”
Sergei Rumas said that once the draft action program is reconciled, the sides will be able to move on to the second stage – the development of roadmaps. He remarked that the process will be more complicated. “It will be more complicated because we have slightly more than two months left to prepare a large package of roadmaps – about 30 and several intergovernmental agreements – and forward the package (the action program and the roadmaps) to the presidents for signing in early December,” Sergei Rumas explained.
“The Belarusian side is ready to do the work in the specified timeframe. We would like the same instruction – work very hard – to be sent to Russian government agencies,” the Belarusian head of government said.
In turn, Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Medvedev assured: “Have no doubt. If we come to terms, we will pass on all the instructions.” He also confirmed that the draft action program on stepping up integration and the list of roadmaps are virtually ready for initialing.
