Russian Foreign Ministry: Belarus-Russia relations can serve as a model of equal co-operation
Relations between Russia and Belarus can serve as a model for building equal and mutually beneficial co-operation, and the level of interaction within the Union State is a guideline for other integration associations in the post-Soviet space, the message distributed by Russia’s Foreign Ministry – For Upcoming Working Visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to the Republic of Belarus – reads
As reported, the main purpose of Mr. Lavrov's visit to Minsk is his participation in a joint meeting of the boards of Belarusian and Russian foreign ministries. “Interaction of the two states’ diplomatic departments on the implementation of the provisions of the programme of co-ordinated actions in the field of foreign policy of the parties to the Union State Treaty for 2022-2023 will be studied. Issues of co-operation in the field of foreign policy planning, co-ordination of actions with regard to the EU, NATO and the Council of Europe, joint work within the OSCE will be touched upon, and special attention will be paid to liaisons on multilateral platforms in the field of arms control, as well as to countering the Western policy of politicisation of international organisations involved into economic and human rights problems,” the message reads.
The Russian Foreign Ministry stresses that Belarus is Russia's closest ally and strategic partner, “Our countries are linked by long-standing traditions of friendship and mutual assistance, cultural and spiritual community, common historical past and prospects for the future. Russia and Belarus co-operate fruitfully within the framework of the Union State in a wide range of areas, including issues of equal rights of citizens of the two countries in the field of social security, access to education and medical care. Mutually beneficial co-operation is actively developing in the economy and trade, foreign policy, defence, as well as military-technical, migration, inter-parliamentary, interregional, cultural, humanitarian and other spheres.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry notes that various joint programmes and projects in the field of security, medicine, sci-tech research and other areas are implemented annually at the expense of the Union State budget (in 2023, its volume is to reach 6bn Russian Roubles).
“The approval of the Guidelines to Implement the Union State Treaty for 2021-2023, including 28 sectoral programmes, as well as the Migration Policy Concept and the updated Military Doctrine of the Union State, by the Supreme State Council of the Union State on November 4th, 2021 contributed to the acceleration of integration processes in almost all spheres. They aim to determine the further course of the Union State building and thereby promote even greater unity of our fraternal peoples. The implementation of the Union State programmes will create the foundation for formation of a single economic space in the interests of our citizens and entrepreneurs," the message reads.
The Russian Foreign Ministry recalls the meeting of Aleksandr Lukashenko with the State Secretary of the Union State, Dmitry Mezentsev, the recent visit of Vladimir Putin, and the meeting of the two states’ leaders at the informal CIS summit in St. Petersburg. “Regular contacts are maintained between the heads of the chambers of parliaments, deputy prime ministers, secretaries of security councils and heads of relevant departments,” the message says.
The foreign policy interaction between Russia and Belarus is systemic: i.e. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held talks in Minsk with the newly appointed Belarusian Foreign Minister, Sergei Aleinik, on December 19th. “Our countries support common or close positions on many international issues, closely co-operate within the CSTO, the EAEU, the CIS, the UN, the OSCE and other universal and regional organisations, while also jointly promoting the initiatives important for both of them. Since 2000, annual joint meetings of the boards of Belarusian and Russian foreign ministries and inter-ministerial consultations at the level of heads of relevant departments have been held to compare notes. They are effective mechanisms for synchronising the efforts of the two states on the world stage," the Russian Foreign Ministry notes, adding that – in conditions of the sanctions war unleashed by the collective West – Russia and Belarus are taking joint steps aimed at countering unilateral restrictions and strengthening the financial, economic and technological sovereignty of the Union State, while developing industrial co-operation and successfully implementing import substitution programmes, including by launching joint investment projects.
"Thanks to the joint regional group of troops deployed in Belarus, the western borders of the Union State and the CSTO are reliably protected, and a barrier has been created against the NATO collective forces, whose military potential is increasing in the neighbouring countries," the message adds.
The Russian Foreign Ministry stresses the great importance of parliamentary contacts in bilateral relations, also recalling an official visit of Natalya Kochanova, the Chairperson of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly, to the Russian Federation. “Parliamentarians of Russia and Belarus actively interact on international platforms in order to promote common interests and initiatives,” it notes.
Interregional co-operation is an important part of the Russian-Belarusian relations, since it contributes to the development of trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian ties between the two states. At the moment, about 80 subjects of the Russian Federation actively interact with Belarus.
“Annual forums of regions, held alternately in Russia and Belarus since 2014 under the chairmanship of the heads of the upper chambers of parliaments, make a significant contribution to the expansion of the potential of interregional co-operation. On June 30th-July 1st, 2022, Grodno hosted the 9th Forum of Regions, focusing on the role of interregional liaisons in deepening integration processes within the Union State. It gathered about 1,000 delegates from all Belarusian and more than 40 Russian regions at the level of governors, their deputies and heads of legislative assemblies. This year, the ‘anniversary’ forum will be held in Ufa,” the Russian Foreign Ministry says.
It is also noted in the message that Belarus is regularly among the top five trading partners of Russia, and it ranks first among the CIS countries. “In 2021, the Belarus-Russia trade turnover increased by more than a third to make about $40bn – despite unfavourable external conditions and a difficult epidemiological situation. Positive trends in terms of expanding bilateral trade were also observed last year. In January-October 2022, the turnover continued growing – by 10.1 percent – to reach $34.5bn (Russian exports decreased by 8.4 percent to $17.2bn, ad imports rose by 37.7 percent to $17.3bn),” the Russian Foreign Ministry notes.
