Moscow, 4 Apr (ZXS) -- A meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union States of Russia and Belarus was held in Moscow on 6 April. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko co-chaired the meeting. The two sides will strengthen cooperation in the areas of defense and security, while at the same time working on the national security concept of the Russian-Belarusian Union.
According to information reported on the website of the Kremlin, the meeting discussed the progress of implementation of the basic directions for the implementation of the Treaty on the Establishment of the Union State of Russia and Belarus for the period 2021-2023, as well as the development of a program document on the integration of 28 sectors of Russia and Belarus.
Putin said that Russia and Belarus will continue to strengthen cooperation in the field of defense and security, and expand cooperation in the field of military technology, which is in the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples, and is particularly important in today's complex international situation. He stressed that in the face of the increasingly tense external situation and the main tasks of cooperation in the context of sanctions and information warfare against Russia and Belarus, the two sides will proceed to develop the national security concept of the alliance and continue to strengthen the national security system of the alliance, so as to create conditions for sustainable economic and social development and progress.
Putin said that Russia and Belarus are forming a unified industrial policy, making significant achievements in the integration of key economic sectors, and greatly strengthening cooperation in defense, science and technology, education, humanities and other fields.
Lukashenko said that the alliance countries have established an effective defense and security system, regional joint forces and a unified regional air defense system are operating successfully. This will increase the level of security in the border areas. He also noted that the two countries pursue a coordinated foreign policy on the international stage.
Lukashenko stressed that the two countries have withstood massive economic sanctions imposed by the West. Since last year, the two governments have achieved remarkable results in adjusting their economies and building new trade and logistics routes. At the same time, he said that industrial cooperation is the key direction of bilateral relations, and the two sides are implementing a series of large-scale investment projects.
The Supreme State Council of the Union of Russia and Belarus is the highest organ of the Union State and is composed of the heads of state, government and parliamentary leaders of the two countries. Its main tasks include solving the most important problems of the development of the Union countries; Formation of Union State bodies within their competence; determine the elections to the lower house of the parliament of the Union State; Approves the Union State Budget and the report on its implementation adopted by the National Parliament of the Union; Ratification of international treaties of the Union countries ratified by the parliaments of the countries of the Union.
On 1999 December 12, Russia and Belarus signed a treaty establishing the Union State of Russia and Belarus, which provides for the establishment of a confederal State while maintaining the sovereignty, independence and State institutions of their respective States. (End)