The opening speech of Vladimir Putin:

Mr Sidorsky,

Colleagues,

First of all allow me to welcome all the participants of the Union State's Council of Ministers meeting today.

Our agenda today encompasses a wide range of practical questions regarding our bilateral integration.

I would like to emphasise in particular that under these conditions of global financial and economic crisis the coordinated measures we take, our joint steps, are especially important. They enable us to soften the unfavourable influence of external factors on the creation of a Union State, on the joint construction process, on our economies and on the social sector. That is why I suggest that first of all, we concentrate on topics relating to our trade and economic relations, drawing up the most significant results of our work in this area and setting out its future prospects.

And of course we should independently decide the implementation of the plan to minimise the consequences of the financial crisis, which was approved at a meeting of the Supreme State Council on February 3.

This document contains definite steps towards accomplishing the key constituents of trade and economic cooperation. We will also discuss the planned measures to simplify the transportation of goods, and the transport systems on the territory of the Union State, and also the key areas of our migration policy.

I must also mention that in order to overcome the slump in the global economy we need effective anti-crisis measures, and truly innovative decisions. Here, of course it is very important to pay attention to our programmes on high-tech development, nanotechnology, and medicine. These are the areas where we have really competitive advantages and in which we can achieve serious breakthroughs.

In addition, in carrying out these plans it is vital that we pay particular attention to the rationalisation of the budget resources allocated for cooperation projects. And in this regard it is useful to study the results of those scientific and technical programmes that have already been implemented.

A separate point on today's agenda is the question of preparing the celebrations to mark the 65th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, and the anniversary of the liberation of Belarus.

I think it is clear to everyone, what massive unifying and moral significance these historical dates have for our fraternal peoples. It is our common duty to hold these anniversary events of the Union State on the highest possible level, underlining the enduring role of that great victory for our current and future generations.

Our colleagues have done some good work, in my opinion. So you see, they wrote a mass of reports, like Leo Tolstoy, including those which will further our future cooperation.

I would like to thank our colleagues for the fact that they organised today's meeting in such a professional and friendly atmosphere.

* * *  

The following joint documents were signed to summarise the meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Union State in the presence of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky: 

The Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Belarus on cooperation in the civil use of nuclear energy;

The Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Belarus on mutual transfers of land plots and on land leasing.