MINSK, June 26. /ITAR-TASS/. Upper house of the Belarusian National Assembly has ratified an intergovernmental agreement with Russia on implementing a bilateral program for cooperation in defense-related technologies through to 2020.

“The agreement embraces supplies, repairs, upgrading, research and development works in the interests of Belarusian and Russian Defense Ministries, as well as expansion of cooperative and integrative ties of defense manufacturers from the two countries,” Vladimir Sulimov, First Deputy Chairman of Belarus’s State Military-Industrial Committee said.

He also said the document envisioned reciprocal supplies of defense-related products and services to meet the interests of the Armed Forces and training of military specialists of certain professions.

The agreement presupposes “access of Belarusian defense manufacturers to Russia’s state defense orders”.