What ‘Integration’ Plan Does Lukashenka Bring St. Petersburg?

Belarus and Russia plan to sign 26 agreements.

Negotiations between rulers of the states on the "union state" of Russia and Belarus began behind the scenes, Belsat informs.

What did Lukashenka take to Russia and what will he bring back?

"St. Petersburg is always amazing," Lukashenka welcomed the city, where the negotiations take place. Yesterday he visited Vaalam with his colleague, and today he joins the IV Forum of Russian and Belarusian Regions, which is held in St. Petersburg.

"The meeting of our two leaders is aimed at strengthening our relations and integration within the "union state," Oleg Melnichenko, the Federation Council Committee, says.

Within 4 days, the Forum participants will sign 26 agreements, former assistant to Lukashenka said. Alexander Subbotin, Minister of the Eurasian Economic Commission:

"Both industry and state regulation, as well as the block of phytosanitary and other measures will be improved."

They agreed to unify the rules of admission to universities of the countries, as well as to sign an agreement on mutual recognition of visas by the end of the year. Everything is transparent in terms of the Forum, and the mass media work in the hall.

The situation differs regarding the negotiations on integration.

For the fourth month now, the parties have been building bilateral relations without making the content of the matter public. Before his trip to Russia, Lukashenka said:

"We answered the major question asked by everyone (I do not know for what purpose): either Russia joins Belarus or Belarus joins Russia."

The phrase about Russia's takeover amused the secretary of the "union state," as such a question never arose, which cannot be said about the reverse model ...

Before the visit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus once again reminded us that we were integrating into the "union. Ambassador to Russia Uladzimir Semashka once again voiced the problems Minsk wanted to solve: Moscow's compensation for the tax manoeuvre, gas pricing, export of meat and milk, and promotion of our industrial products in the neighbour's market. Moscow's requirements are still unknown.