President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko meets with Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko

5 июня 2014
By Ilona Krasutskaya: Russia considers Belarus an important strategic partner. In turn, Belarus views cooperation with Russian regions as a real economic basis for integration. Such statements were made during a meeting of the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko with Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko at the Palace of Independence. The occasion was a joint regional forum on further construction of the Union State. The first forum dedicated to the development of the agroindustrial complex featured representatives of Belarus' regions and the capital.

Valentina Matviyenko arrived in Minsk accompanied by a delegation comprising of 200 people. However, the meeting at the Palace of Independence featured 12 representatives of Russian regions.

Matviyenko's visit is taking place in the wake of major integration events. On 29 May in Astana the Presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia signed the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union. Valentina Matviyenko is convinced that the Union has become a link in strengthening inter-regional relations.

During the last meeting in Minsk two years ago, Alexander Lukashenko and Valentina Matviyenko agreed on another form of interregional cooperation - a joint Belarus-Russia regional forum dedicated to agricultural development in both countries. It is being held in the year of the 15th anniversary of signing of the Union State Treaty. The revival of flax production, product quality control and scientific support for the agroindustrial complex are among its priority topics.

The Russian delegates attended the specialized Belagro-2014 exhibition and got acquainted with recent trends in livestock breeding and horticulture and the latest models of Belarusian agricultural machinery. The guests are also expected to visit the country's largest agricultural plants and the Nesvizh Castle.