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Belarus prepared for talks with Russia on all issues

14.12.2007
Belarus is prepared for talks with Russia on all issues, Belarusian Head of State Alexander Lukashenko said during a face-to-face meeting with President of Russia Vladimir Putin. According to yesterday’s agreement with Vladimir Putin, first there will be a one-to-one meeting, and then a session of the Union State Supreme State Council which will consider 12 issues. “We will do this work in a prompt manner and settle all the issues,” Alexander Lukashenko said. The Belarusian Head of State said he was surprised at the stir which Vladimir Putin’s official visit to Belarus caused in the West. In this connection, he said there was no hidden agenda behind the visit: “We meet here in Minsk as friendly allied countries. It would have been surprising if the President of Russia had not paid an official visit to Belarus.” “While in Dushanbe, we noted the fact that we always met in a working format and you had never been to Minsk on an official visit,” Alexander Lukashenko said to Vladimir Putin. The President of Belarus stressed that a lot of issues ranging from defence, security of the Union State to economic and social issues will be discussed today. “We are not hiding these issues from anyone. Our agreements will be announced today at a news conference,” the President said.