V. Putin's visit to Minsk underscores the special nature of multifaceted allied cooperation - Kremlin

May 30, Moscow / Eduard Pivovar - BELTA/. The first foreign visit to Minsk after Vladimir Putin took office as President of Russia, which will take place on May 31 - June 1, emphasizes the special nature of the multifaceted Russian-Belarusian allied cooperation. Following the high-level talks, it is planned to sign a joint statement by the Presidents of Belarus and Russia, confirming the mutual desire for further deepening of integration ties and bilateral cooperation in all areas, the Kremlin press service informed BELTA correspondent. Vladimir Putin's visit will take place on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Belarus and Russia, celebrated on June 25. In this context, an exchange of views is expected on the results achieved in the integration sphere over these years - both on a bilateral basis within the framework of the Union State, and in the format of the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space. A special place on the agenda of the talks is occupied by topical issues of the ongoing work on the formation of the Eurasian Economic Union by 2015. Significant attention is planned to be paid to specific aspects of trade and economic cooperation, especially in energy, as well as advanced, science-intensive areas. It is expected to discuss a wide range of issues related to the joint implementation of large investment projects in various sectors of the economy. In particular, this may include the progress of preparatory work for the construction of the Belarusian NPP, the prospects for creating the "Rosbelavto" holding company based on the assets of "Kamaz" and "MAZ", and other projects in which the business circles of the two countries are interested. An intensive political dialogue, including its parliamentary dimension, traditionally occupies an important place in bilateral relations, the Kremlin press service emphasized. Interregional ties are dynamically developing, creating additional opportunities for establishing closer cooperation in various fields. It is expected that the upcoming visit will give an impetus to further strengthening productive bilateral contacts at all levels. During the meeting of the heads of state, it is also planned to consider the issues of cooperation in the field of ensuring collective security and developing military and military-technical cooperation, as well as in foreign policy, where Moscow and Minsk hold common views on the processes taking place in the modern world. Building on the discussion held within the framework of the jubilee session of the CST Assembly and the informal CIS summit on May 15 in Moscow, the leaders of Belarus and Russia will be able to discuss issues of coordination within regional associations and exchange views on topical issues of the international agenda, the Kremlin informed. The meeting is planned to focus on the issues of humanitarian cooperation, taking into account the commemorative dates of common history celebrated this year - the 200th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1812 and the 1150th anniversary of the origin of Russian statehood. The development of close ties in the fields of culture, science, and education is facilitated by the single migration space operating in the relations between Belarus and Russia, and the existing procedure for mutual travel using internal national documents without customs and border control. -0-