MINSK, 12 June (BelTA) – Everything is ready for the next session of the Supreme State Council of the Union State of Belarus and Russia. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko made the relevant statement as he met with State Secretary of the Union State of Belarus and Russia Grigory Rapota on 12 June, BelTA has learned.
Alexander Lukashenko said: “We briefly discussed the matter with Putin in China on the sidelines of the [SCO] summit. We stated that everything is ready for the Supreme State Council session. Let's once again take a look at the agenda. There may be some issues to address. Some problems may have arisen in the course of the discussion about the agenda. I just want to be aware of these things. There may also be some proposals to expand the agenda.”
Grigory Rapota noted that the agenda is indeed prepared, however, there are matters the heads of state may have to discuss additionally.
The meeting took place in anticipation of the session of the Council of Ministers of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, which is due in Moscow on 13 June, and the session of the Supreme State Council, which is scheduled to take place in Minsk on 19 June. There are about 15 items on the agenda of the Council of Ministers session and some ten items on the agenda of the Supreme State Council session.
The session of the Supreme State Council of the Union State of Belarus and Russia is expected to focus on matters concerning results of Belarusian-Russian trade and economic cooperation in 2017. The Council of Ministers will present a report on executing the 2016 Union State budget. A program of coordinated actions in the area of foreign policy for the 2018-2019 period will be presented as well. The fulfillment of priority directions and top-priority tasks relating to the further development of the Union State will be discussed.
Apart from that, participants of the Supreme State Council session are expected to discuss the awarding of Union State prizes in the area of literature and art in 2017-2018 and the establishment of the Union State prizes in the area of science and technology.
