Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 23 October (BelTA) – The summits of the CIS heads of state in Minsk on 24-25 October will be truly fateful, BelTA learned from Georgy Grits, Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Scientific and Industrial Association (BNPA).

“I cannot but agree with the opinion of the Belarus president, who said that it will be a fateful event in many aspects,” noted the expert. “A kind of unity of opposites. On the one hand, Russia is now part of the World Trade Organization and, by definition, has to follow WTO rules. Moreover, its commitments to the WTO supersede commitments to the Customs Union, the Union State of Belarus and Russia, and the Single Economic Space. On the other hand, neither Belarus nor Kazakhstan are WTO members but we are members of a more effective integration association, which is more important for the three countries, including Russia”.

According to Georgy Grits, it will be possible to resolve the conflict as part of the forthcoming summits. “A summit is a good opportunity to air views and try to find a balance of interests. It is extremely important,” believes the expert. And even if the two days are insufficient to resolve all the existing issues, the summits will affect interests of Belarus, Russia, and Kazakhstan, believes Georgy Grits. Indirectly Ukraine’s conflict may be affected: Ukraine – the European Union or Ukraine - the Single Economic Space.

BelTA reported earlier that Minsk’s Palace of Independence will host sessions of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council and the CIS Heads of State Council on 24 and 25 October.