Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met with Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky
Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:
Vladimir Putin: Mr Sidorsky, colleagues,
I am very happy to welcome you all to Moscow. It is very good to know that we continue to work actively in all areas, and of course this is most noticeable in the trade and economic sphere. Last year our trade increased by 30%, which is not bad at all, but in the first four months of this year it has already grown by 60%. This shows that our efforts over the recent years are bringing fruit, real results.
Belarus has always been a priority in the Russian foreign policy. It remains so today. We recently saw the meeting between the President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, and the Belarusian President in Brest. We were aware of the high moral and emotional pitch of the meeting. Especially since it took place on the occasion of a tragic date, the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, during which the peoples of the whole Soviet Union, but of Belarus and Russia in particular, sustained huge losses and displayed great heroism and patriotism. We fought the common enemy shoulder to shoulder and we won. Now we have something to be proud of too.
We can report many achievements not only in cooperation, but in the development of our countries. We are aware that resolving social issues on the basis of economic achievements is our priority. The Governments of our countries and the Presidents have always paid, and I am sure, will always pay prime attention to this. We contemplate a whole range of measures there. I am sure that this meeting will help to solve the tasks facing us.
Sergei Sidorsky: Thank you. Mr Putin, dear colleagues, we are glad to be present here today and to meet in the framework of the Union Government.
Mr Putin, first of all I would like to thank you. A great deal was accomplished during your presidency. We have made particular progress in the last two or three years. The work of our ministers, of every ministry and agency individually makes a substantial contribution to our trade and economic record. I think that 26 billion roubles will be a good and dynamic indicator of how our relations are developing.
A number of agreements are in place which were signed between the Governments within the Union State. We are happy to note that our experts are working hard.
We expect that this meeting will give a further impetus to our relations.
It is very important that we are introducing direct supplies under contracts. We have practically completed a project with Silovye Machiny (Power Machines) to develop a new generation of engines for quarry dumper trucks and other trucks. We produce buses and tractors. Our plant in Bryansk is functioning and new plants are being built in Barnaul.
We signed an agreement with the AFK Sistema corporation in Minsk recently and are prepared to sign a general agreement with Russkiye Mashiny (Russian Machines).
It is important that not only Russian oil companies, but other major Russian companies are coming to Belarus. We are sure that Russian-Belarusian technologies will be competitive in the world markets.
I would like to thank you all for the opportunity to meet with you today as part of the Union programme. We are committed to constructive work in Moscow. Thank you.
