Belarus and Russia should maintain a high-level integration, President of Belarus, Chairman of the Supreme State Council (SSC) of the Union State Alexander Lukashenko said at a SSC session in Moscow on February 3, BelTA informs.
Since the last SSC session more than a year ago, dramatic changes have taken place in the world politics and economy, the Belarusian leader said. "The shortcomings of monopolism in the present-day world order architecture became increasingly obvious. The global financial crisis has been gathering pace, not without the help of some countries and their irresponsible decisions," the President continued. The Head of State added that this process could not but affect the social and economic systems of Belarus and Russia.
According to Alexander Lukashenko, during a meeting on December 22, 2008 the Belarusian and Russian sides took these factors into account and agreed to detail the issues most important for the two countries at the session of the Supreme State Council.
"These agreements were based on the necessity to unite the efforts to preserve everything we have achieved in all areas and to give an additional impetus to the Belarusian-Russian partnership. We proceeded from the fact that we needed to ensure the dynamics of trade and economic cooperation," Alexander Lukashenko said.
In 2008, Belarus-Russia trade reached a record $35 billion. Belarus ranks sixth among Russia's trade and economic partners. This translates into more than 55% of foreign trade of the Russian Federation with the EurAsEC member states.
"It is increasingly important today to keep this high level of integration, mutually beneficial industrial, sci-tech and regional cooperation," the President of Belarus said.
According to him, the two sides are planning to complete the work on ensuring equal conditions for economic entities of Belarus and Russia as soon as possible.
President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev informed that in Moscow today the sides will exchange the instruments of ratification to the agreement on equal rights of citizens of the two countries for the freedom of movement, choice of the place of stay and residence.
Alexander Lukashenko added that another stage in the formation of the full-fledged Union State would be over.