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Russian and Belarusian top diplomats to meet on June 5

MOSCOW, June 5. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov receives his Belarusian counterpart Vladimir Makei in Moscow on Monday. The two ministers will also take part in a joint session of the Russian and Belarusian Foreign Ministries’ boards.

Russian Foreign Ministry’s official spokesperson Maria Zakharova said earlier Lavrov and Makei would discuss implementation of the program for coordinated foreign policy steps of the parties of the Union State treaty for 2016/2017. They will also consider the drafting of a program for the next two-year period.

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Lukashenko points to Belarus, Russia fostering strategic partnership

Russian Foreign Ministry officials have been stressing on many occasions Belarus’s status of a strategic partner.

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry added that the talks would focus on international and regional security issues and on coordination of approaches towards relations with NATO. Vladimir Makei said in this connection there was an apparent need for dialogue between Russia and NATO.

The Belarusian side also hoped to discuss Eurasian integration and possible steps towards raising the prestige of the Eurasian Economic Union.

Makei’s visit will take place on the eve of the 25th anniversary since establishment of diplomatic relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus (June 25).

Plans suggest the two Foreign Ministers will sign a joint statement on the occasion of the date.

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