News & Events in Belarus

MINSK, 31 May (BelTA) – The CIS Heads of Government Council meeting will take place in Minsk on 31 May, BelTA has learnt.

Among those expected at the Belarusian capital are six CIS Prime Ministers. Two states will be represented by First Vice Premiers and two more by Vice Premiers. Representatives of all eleven countries will take part in the meeting. The summit will take place in President Hotel, which has been recently reopened after a complete overhaul.

Apart from the CIS Heads of Government Council, the summiteers are expected to hold a number of bilateral meetings. The program envisages a meeting of the heads of the CIS delegations. Besides, the heads of the delegation will participate in a plenary meeting of the Forum of Businessmen of the Single Economic Space that is to be held at Minsk Arena.

According to the CIS Executive Committee, the agenda of the session of the CIS Heads of Government Council comprises over 30 questions. Financial and economic ones, which are the most important questions, include seven issues. Economic issues, prepared for discussion, concern the CIS further development concept and the CIS economic development strategy through 2020.

The parties are expected to sign a protocol on applying the CIS free trade zone agreement of 18 October 2011 between its signatories and the Republic of Uzbekistan. The document defines legal mechanisms of cooperation between Uzbekistan and the participants of the free trade zone agreement. The document will expand the legal space of the free trade zone.

The participants of the meeting will consider the results of the implementation of the CIS interstate innovation cooperation program in 2012. Today the transition of the CIS economies onto innovation development is a key factor of economic cooperation. For successful implementation of the program, full financing is needed for five international targeted programs as well as for national contact centers. This block of issues also includes a list of pilot interstates innovative projects. As many as 11 pilot innovative projects are supposed to be adopted at the session. They cover various areas of the work of the CIS states and are aimed at advancing information technologies, nanotechnologies, manufacturing technologies, aviation, space and transport systems. The projects also deal with security, energy effectiveness, rational nature management, and healthcare. Alongside with budget financing, there are plans to draw over $32 million from non-budget resources.

The economic block of the agenda envisages the consideration of a concept for the development of the CIS patents and innovations databank to expedite commercialization of the results of the research and entrepreneurship development in the CIS innovation sector.

Humanitarian matters are traditionally discussed at such events. There are plans to discuss an agreement on cooperation in environmental protection. The document is aimed at closer cooperation of the member states in the protection of the use of land, soil, mineral resources, water, air, ozone layer and climate, flora and fauna.

There has been also prepared for signing the CIS agreement on mutual recognition of university diplomas. The document will have huge practical importance with a view of the CIS workforce formation and the development of the CIS labor markets.

The heads of government will also consider a number of other humanitarian issues aimed at strengthening and expanding cooperation. They will comprise an action plan for 2013-2015 for the implementation of the CIS physical education and sports development strategy through 2020. The document is focused on the popularization of sports and healthy lifestyle, development of cooperation in the anti-doping area. There are plans for the CIS International Sports Games and an array of other sports events.

Cooperation in the education sector will be promoted by the decisions of the CIS Heads of Government Council on the main action plan for education cooperation in 2013-2015. The document comprises 75 events. The 3^rd CIS Congress of Teachers and Education Workers as well as the Congress of Teachers of the Russian Language are among them.

As for security issues, the participants of the meeting are expected to decide upon financing the development of the united register of citizens of third countries and stateless persons entering the Commonwealth of Independent States.