Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:

Vladimir Putin: Mr Myasnikovich, colleagues. We have worked hard on integration issues over the past two days and have achieved some success. I already had the pleasure to thank all your experts and colleagues for this cooperation. Now we have the opportunity to talk about bilateral issues, and there are quite a few of them. I look forward to our discussion.

Mikhail Myasnikovich: First of all, I would like to thank you because we felt that you were personally coordinating and overseeing all the issues discussed at previous meetings. As a result, we have seen some good progress. For example, trade has grown by almost 50% over the eight months of this year. What’s more important, crucial agreements, including multi-year natural gas and oil agreements, expire in December. Active work is currently underway in order to sign these agreements not on the eve of New Year but better in November.

I would like to point out several issues. We have signed an agreement on the nuclear power station. In this area, we too see evolutionary progress. I believe that at the beginning of next year, in the first quarter, we will sign a major contract and the corresponding loan agreement. All approaches have been identified and we can say that these documents have been initialled because this is a major project. Russian companies are also engaged in privatisation in Belarus.

We are working actively with the EurAsEC anti-crisis fund. I have taken note of all observations regarding Belarus. Corresponding calculations by experts and ministries will be presented on all of them so that we can successfully resolve all issues. As for other important matters, they will be addressed in the near future.

We have discussed this before and I already raised it with you. We had talks on oil related issues with Mr Shmatko (Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko), and Mr Rumas (Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister) is currently negotiating oil and gas issues with related companies. I believe that we will soon coordinate our positions and reach an agreement as to the volume and conditions of oil and natural gas purchases. We are considering natural gas supplies beyond the package. We are working on six agreements, if I remember correctly, both at the government and company levels. So I believe that everything will be fine in this respect.

I also had negotiations with Mr Dmitriyev, head of Vnesheconombank, and an interesting point was raised. We will complete a major modernisation of three cement factories this year and in the first quarter or first half of next year. Our government suggested that Vnesheconombank can become a shareholder in these new facilities. This is a new issue and I would like to request… I will pass a letter to you. He said he could not take the decision until he had corresponding instructions. This is why I have brought a letter to you.

Vladimir Putin: Good. Mr Myasnikovich, indeed cooperation between our countries is developing in many areas. I’m referring to agriculture, transport, communication,  engineering, and naturally the energy sector. You already pointed out several cooperation areas. Our long-term agreements in certain spheres are indeed about to expire, including as regards oil and gas supplies, and we will need to make some adjustments. I already said this at the news conference and can repeat this once again. We have indeed carried out significant work at the corporate, expert, and government levels. The work has almost been completed and only pricing remains to be determined. The presidents or Russia and Belarus will put a period to this issue at their meeting scheduled to take place in November. I am convinced that our colleagues have worked hard enough for us to draw a line under this. I believe that these decisions will facilitate the development of our trade and economic ties, taking into account that so-called integration discount is introduced and the Beltransgas-related issues are resolved. This will be a comprehensive solution and will beyond any doubt promote economic development in Russia and Belarus. It will create new favourable basic conditions for further integration steps.

Mikhail Myasnikovich: Mr Putin, I would also like to emphasise the following. Considering the issues related to the Customs Union commission that were under discussion today we acted on the premise that this is going to be a very important event. In this respect, President Alexander Lukashenko believes – and I think you will agree – that these agreements should be signed in early November in an official setting rather than at a regular meeting. Perhaps we could do it in Moscow.

Vladimir Putin: Good, we will look into it. I don’t anticipate any objections. Let’s discuss it.