“Strengthening the integration mechanisms in the post-Soviet space is not a matter of choice but an inevitable necessity. I believe that we can talk about the benefits only when we fully realize the potential of the CIS. This will be one of the main priorities of Belarus' Presidency in the CIS next year, if toda we adopt the appropriate decision, which has already been coordinated," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The president noted that Belarus will traditionally publish the concept of its presidency later, but said he will outline its main priorities now.
Development of the common economic space
"We intend to focus on strengthening the role of the CIS to improve the standards of living, on solving the problems caused by globalization and addressing the new challenges of our time," the head of state said.
Belarus plans to work to develop the common economic space, promote trade liberalization, minimize the number of restrictions and exemptions, remove technical barriers, unify the rules and procedures of public procurement, and to develop the common markets of goods and services.
Aligning integration in the CIS and the EAEU
Particular attention will be paid to the work on aligning the multi-level integration processes in the CIS and the EAEU. Aleksandr Lukashenko is confident that, given closer cooperation between the executive bodies of these two associations, the countries will be able to strengthen their ties. “At least we should not allow a situation where deeper integration in the Eurasian Economic Union will turn into some sort of a dividing line in the trade and economic relations of the five participating states and other CIS countries,” he stressed.
According to the president, the member states should also continue systematic and consistent improvement of the coordinated transport policy, the search for specific solutions to energy supplies. “We see the need to improve the efficiency of the CIS inter-sectoral bodies, aimed at intensifying investment activities, expanding production cooperation, and searching for common points of economic growth,” the head of state added.
The head of state recalled that many integration associations were set up in the post-Soviet space. There were proposals to discontinue some of them or to merge, but the countries did not go for it. “Integration construction was described as different-level integration. The highest level of integration has been achieved in the Union State of Belarus and Russia, the Eurasian Economic Union and the CIS. Back then we agreed that we would pull up the level of cooperation from the bottom up. We are talking about the CIS and the Eurasian Economic Union. We seek to achieve the level of interrogation in the CIS on par with the one in the EAEU,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
According to the president, the member states should also continue systematic and consistent improvement of the coordinated transport policy, the search for specific solutions for energy supplies. “We see the need to improve the efficiency of the CIS inter-sectoral bodies, aimed at intensifying investment activities, expanding production cooperation, and searching for common points of economic growth,” the head of state added.
Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled the proposal of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, who invited CIS countries to take part in the restoration of settlements in Nagorno-Karabakh. At the recent EAEU summit, the Russian side offered cooperation in the aviation industry, the Belarusian leader recalled. "This is exactly what we need today. This is something we are missing in both the EAEU and the CIS. We need something to keep us interested, to be bind to one another: then it will be very difficult to tear one state away from another,” the president stressed.
Strengthening humanitarian ties
Aleksandr Lukashenko believes it is also important to pursue a coordinated policy regarding technical regulations in standardization, metrology, conformity assessment and accreditation, the use of sanitary and veterinary measures as a means to ensure the output of safe, high-quality and competitive products and services.
Belarus will traditionally pay close attention to strengthening humanitarian ties, expanding contacts in science, education, healthcare, information, culture, sport and tourism, work with young people, improving the image of the CIS in the international arena. During its presidency in the CIS, Belarus will also try to implement Uzbekistan's initiatives, which the country did not have time to implement in the outgoing year.
“Our strategic goal is to create a broad Eurasian zone of cooperation, and also to strengthen peace, friendship, good neighborliness and mutually beneficial relations in the region,” the president summarized.
