BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

23/05/2008

Russia is natural locomotive of CIS integration - Lukashenko

MINSK, May 23 (Itar-Tass) - Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko credits Russia with the role of "natural locomotive of integration" in the Commonwealth of Independent States.

"It is Russia's position - with its population, territory, natural resources and economic potential that determines the implementation of many tasks and projects, aimed at further strengthening of the economies of our counties, an increase in the standard of living of ordinary people," Lukashenko said at a meeting with the heads of the delegations taking part in a meeting of the Council of CIS prime ministers.

The president underlined that "today, when we are at the apex of the CIS reform process, it is important to give the first objective, and, possibly, critical evaluations of joint work. The question of whether the CIS will get second wind, a real additional impulse to further progress depends on our ability to hear out each other, find ways of resolving difficult issues, and the readiness to put words in concrete deeds," the Belarussian leader said.

"Russia, which is a natural locomotive of integration, plays special role in this process," Lukashenko noted.

Taking part in the meeting of the CIS Council of Prime Ministers is Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Putin is to hold talks with Lukashenko over"a broad range of issues of bilateral cooperation which has been developing very intensively recently," a source in the Russian delegation told Itar-Tass earlier.

"In particular, they may consider a common economic space in the territory of the two countries, a customs union, interaction in the energy sphere, access of goods to the markets of the two countries, and transport infrastructure projects for further development of cooperation."

"The parties will discuss the current state of and prospects for creating the Union State. On the whole, Russian-Belarus cooperation has been developing without any serious problems, and frequent meetings between officials at various levels contribute to it," according to the source.

Source:

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=12709640&PageNum=0

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