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Russia, Belarus may return to integration plans this year

Russian Ambassador to Belarus Dmitry Mezentsev emphasized that "economic integration does not threaten the issues of independence of Belarus and Russia, nor the issues of the sovereignty of our two countries"

MINSK, July 1. /TASS/. Resumption of work on harmonizing integration roadmaps within the Union State is possible this year, this issue may be submitted to the next meeting of the Council of Ministers, Russian Ambassador to Belarus Dmitry Mezentsev said on Wednesday.

"The meeting of the Council of Ministers will certainly take place this year," he said, answering a question from TASS. "It is important that, within the framework of its agenda, it is possible to take into account the request of both parties on readiness to resume integration work, to return to roadmaps, action program for the implementation of the Union Treaty," the ambassador said.

"We heard from Ambassador Semashko (Vladimir Semashko - Ambassador of Belarus to Russia TASS) that the Belarusian side is ready to resume that dense substantive work, the result of which was 27 road maps, initiation of the Union-building action program," Mezentsev said.

Mezentsev emphasized that "economic integration does not threaten the issues of independence of Belarus and Russia, nor the issues of the sovereignty of our two countries." "Today we are talking about a new positioning, increasing competitiveness, promoting exports of goods to the markets of third countries," he noted.

An intergovernmental working group on integration, created on the initiative of the presidents of Belarus and Russia, prepared 31 integration roadmaps by the end of last year. The parties have not yet reached a compromise on roadmaps related to issues of oil, gas, and tax policy.