28 september 2012

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev meets with Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich in Yalta

Participants:

Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:

Dmitry Medvedev: I am very glad to see you, Mr Myasnikovich, especially in such a wonderful place as the Crimea. The weather is favourable for discussing not only CIS problems, but also Russian-Belarus relations, and Russian-Belarus cooperation. We already told each other on the stairs that our level of cooperation is as high as never before. This has to do with the integration that we are now working on. I mean the creation of the Common Economic Space between Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. This also has to do with the intensification of interstate and inter-economic ties. I think that in the past twelve-eighteen months we have made significant progress in that direction. I am very pleased. There were a lot of discrepancies, but this is already in the past. Now I am ready to discuss all issues of Russian-Belarusian economic cooperation with you, including in the context of the integration tasks that we are now tackling.    

I’d also like to thank you that for the fact that the next prime ministers’ event will be held in Minsk. You promised us good weather and a sea just like the Black Sea.

Mikhail Myasnikovich: We will have to dig it.

Thank you very much, Mr Medvedev. We are pleased about the high level of relations between our countries, our governments, and we are making every effort to ensure long-term development. And the decisions we take, including today, is part of the package of decisions that will determine the development of economies for the next 10-15 years. I reviewed today’s agenda, and it is wonderful that half of it consists of innovation issues.

Of course, there are current issues, which I think we will discuss today. There are variants for our decisions – the governments, ministers, and experts are working. With all due respect for the CIS and EurAsEC, our bilateral relations have moved somewhat forward. This is wonderful, as it provides an example that we must follow, there are already tested mechanisms that allow other states to join the agreements.

Our trade has increased 18% on last year’s rather high result. Our exports to Russia are somewhat lower. I think the decisions we took as regards the Common Economic Space are the reserve that allows us to increase our mutual trade, and, most importantly, form joint companies that will operate as transnational corporations.

Thank you very much.  

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