Andrei Suzdaltsev: Shoigu comes to discuss Zapad 2013 drills

Zhadobin and Shoigu are expected to discuss the preparation for the joint military exercises at a meeting in June.

Andrei Suzdaltsev spoke to charter97.org about a promise of the Russian defence minister to visit Minsk on June 4.

“Russia and Belarus cooperate in a number of area, including political and economical sectors. Of course, the key issues are interlinked, but in this case the meeting of Zhadobin and Shoigu deals more with the preparation for the military exercises scheduled for this year,” the expert thinks.

He noted the issue of opening a Russian airbase might be discussed at the meeting, but not as the main topic.

“Russia thinks that Belarus needs this airbase, because Belarus cannot defend the country's airspace as part of the common grouping of the 'union state'. It is a care of the Russian side. Ministers are solving current problems, but the question of opening the airbase remains a serious political issue that should be discussed at the highest level,” the politologist is confident.

As for the talks between Uladzimir Siamashka and Arkady Dvorkovich about MAZ and KAMAZ, Andrei Suzdaltsev said:

“These were difficult talks, because Siamashka had a hard task. He must set up a holding company on Belarusian conditions so that Belarus could control it. Lukashenka set a task not to surrender. But it is impossible, because setting up a holding company supposes the distribution of money, investments and management,” Andrei Suzdaltsev said.