Lukashenko to make two-day working trip to Russia :: Charter'97 :: News

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko leaves for Russia on Wednesday, on a two-day working trip. He is planning to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and visit a Russian aerospace company, the press service of the Belarusian head of state told Itar-Tass.

According to Lukashenko, the past few years have been fruitful for bilateral relations. "Whatever sphere we consider, we`ve made progress, not just declaratively, but showed an example in practice in how one should build relations," Lukashenko said at a recent meeting with Russian Ambassador to Belarus Alexander Blocking, in connection with the end of the latter`s diplomatic mission.

One of the facts which convincingly provide it is the high level of the Belarusian-Russian trade turnover which approximated 18 billion dollars in 2004, the president said.

In his view, there is complete mutual understanding and coordination in the foreign policy between the two countries.

At the same time, Lukashenko noted the existence of problems in bilateral relations because "the unification of the two states is a very difficult and hard process."

At present, the two states actively work on resolving problems, foremost as regards the granting of equal rights to the citizens of Belarus and Russia.

Moscow and Minsk are planning to sign agreements on cooperation in the provision of pensions, medical assistance and taxation principles by the end of this year.