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Putin arrives in Minsk to attend Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, CIS summits

At the CIS summit on Friday, October 25, the participants plan to discuss interaction in the economic, humanitarian and law-enforcement areas

MOSCOW, October 23 (Itar-Tass) - Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the Belarusian capital Minsk on Thursday to take part in the session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council at the level of heads of states and the summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States /CIS/.

He headed from the Minsk airport for the Palace of Independence to participate in the session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, the key body of the Customs Union /TS/ and the Common Economic Space /EEP/ of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Initially, the leaders and head of the Eurasian Economic Commission Viktor Khristenko will meet one-on-one and then the presidents of Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Armenia will join them.

Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that the establishment of the Eurasian Economic Union /EAES/ by January 1, 2015 was the main topic of the meeting between the leaders of the three countries Thursday, October 24. "The heads of states plan to review the work done on the EAES treaty," Ushakov said.

The Kremlin is hoping that that summit "will be productive and give an additional impulse to ongoing integration processes."

A possible increase in the number of integration associations is on the agenda. "This issue is very important," Ushakov said noting that Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan would participate in its discussion.

After the summit, the Russian, Belarusian and Kazakh presidents and head of the Eurasian Economic Commission Viktor Khristenko will give a news conference. A dinner for the summit participants on behalf of the Belarusian leader will close the forum programme.

On the sidelines of the summit, Putin will have separate meetings with Ukrainian leader Viktor Yanukovich and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. At the talks with the Ukrainian president, Kiev's plans regarding its associated membership in the European Union will be discussed, according to Ushakov.

At the meeting with his Belarusian colleague, Putin is expected to consider the situation around the Uralkali potassium fertilizer producer.

The Minsk summit of the Eurasian Economic Council will be the second within the "troika" format this year. The first took place in Astana on May 29. "If an accord is reached, the third will take place in Russia," Ushakov said.

At the CIS summit on Friday, October 25, the participants plan to discuss interaction in the economic, humanitarian and law-enforcement areas. This summit will be the key event in the course of Belarus' CIS presidency and ahead of handing it over to Ukraine for 2014. In all, the CIS leaders plan to discuss 14 issues.

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