Opinions & Interviews
Opinion: Promoting integration is important for Belarus, Russia
MINSK, 14 December (BelTA) - Belarus and Russia attach great importance to the deepening of the integration, Sergei Rachkov, Chairman of the PA Commission on Foreign Policy, Chairman of the Standing Commission on International Affairs and National Security of the Council of the Republic, said as he took part in a meeting of the Commission on Foreign Policy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Belarus-Russia Union State on 14 December, BelTA has learned.
“Belarus and Russia attach great importance to the deepening of the integration. I think you have noticed that the prime ministers of our countries keep in active touch. Recently, the foreign ministries of Belarus and Russia have held a joint meeting. It is the confirmation that we are really very closely cooperating in the field of foreign policy. But, of course, the priority is the economy today. Here we, too, take steps. We also place a significant focus on promoting cooperation in healthcare, education and culture,” Sergei Rachkov noted.
The two countries are also actively cooperating in countering COVID-19. "At the Union State level, this topic was discussed by the presidents. The vaccine has been provided for trials in Belarus. We hope to continue our cooperation in this area. We are waiting for the Russian vaccine to begin vaccination in the country,” the chairman of the commission said.
Sergei Rachkov emphasized that the agenda of the meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly Commission on Foreign Policy has 13 issues. The meeting is in the format of a videoconference.
In particular the agenda includes the implementation of the program of concerted actions in foreign policy of the Union State member states in 2020-2021, a draft work plan of the PA Commission on Foreign Policy in 2021, and the participation of the Parliamentary Assembly in international events. The draft budget of the Union State for 2021 will be considered, as well as issues related to the Union State budget execution in 2019 and 2020.
“This is a very important meeting, because the Belarusian part of the commission is meeting with its counterpart for the first time. We, of course, know each other very well, work in various international missions, primarily in election observation. This year, our MPs took part in election observation in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Moldova and Kyrgyzstan. In 2021, we plan to take part in observation of a number of elections. We will start with Kazakhstan (parliamentary elections) and Kyrgyzstan (extraordinary presidential election),” the chairman of the commission said.
Invited to take part in the meeting have been representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and Russia. They will make brief presentations on the implementation of the program of joint actions in foreign policy. “Coordination of activities in foreign policy is an important component of the overall work of the Parliamentary Assembly and the two states. We pay considerable attention to the coherence of our actions in international organizations. Aach national delegation has, of course, priority areas. In the United Nations, for example, Belarus focuses on combating human trafficking, youth issues, and problems of the traditional family, while Russia has a very relevant topic - combating the glorification of Nazism, and it is of special importance in the year of the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory. We are co-sponsors of this resolution in the UN General Assembly. We will also focus on interaction with our partners: the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization,” Sergei Rachkov said.
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