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MINSK, 22 November (BelTA) – The alignment with the Silk Road Economic Belt is high on the EEU integration agenda, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov told the media after the joint meeting of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and Russia in Minsk on 22 November.

Sergei Lavrov stressed that the Belarusian-Russian ministerial interaction shows the true nature of bilateral relations. The joint action plans are executed in full, and the bilateral cooperation in 2016 can testify to the fact.

According to the minister, Belarus and Russia have been building their cooperation taking into account their ties with the EU, OSCE, the Council of Europe and in general have been working for a unifying agenda for the continent. In his words, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to the development of the common space from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. He also emphasized the importance of joint action within the EEU: “We have considered the prospects of developing our external relations, reaffirmed our readiness to develop the common economic and humanitarian space with other integration associations. This also includes cooperation with the EU, the Council of Europe, the SCO, and the ASEAN. The alignment of integration plans with the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative is of special significance as well.”

“This open flexible process will help all the countries cooperate for the mutual benefit,” the minister noted. In his words, the meeting attached big attention to the measures to counter the attempts to falsify the history and review the outcome of the Second World War. “We will continue fighting against the destruction of the historical monuments, defend the important role the Soviet people in the defeat of the Nazism,” Sergei Lavrov said. He added that the next joint meeting will mark the 25^th anniversary of the Belarusian-Russian diplomatic relations and will be held in Moscow.