MOSCOW, 30 May (BelTA) – The forthcoming visit of Vladimir Putin to Minsk, that will be his first foreign visit after election as Russia’s President, emphasizes the special nature of multifaceted cooperation within the Union State of Belarus and Russia. The joint statement to be signed following the talks between the presidents will confirm the mutual determination to expand integration and bilateral cooperation across all fields, BelTA learnt from the press service of the Kremlin. The visit of Vladimir Putin will be held in the run-up to the 20th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries marked on 25 June. The two presidents will review the integration achievements of the Union State, the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space. A special focus will be placed on the Eurasian Economic Union which will be established by 2015. The parties will also discuss trade and economic cooperation, in particular, projects in power engineering, science-intensive industries, as well as implementation of major investment projects across various fields, like the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, a possibility to set up Rosbelavto holding company by KamAZ and MAZ, and other projects initiated by the business communities of the two countries. A political dialogue, including inter-parliamentary ties, has always been an essential part of the bilateral relations. Inter-regional cooperation is vigorously developing, which opens up additional opportunities for closer cooperation in various fields. The forthcoming visit is expected to give an impetus to bilateral contacts. The heads of state will also discuss collective security, military and defense cooperation, as well as foreign policy. The two parties have a similar stance on the major issues of the international agenda. The two presidents will also communicate their views on regional and inter-regional cooperation, the Kremlin informed. Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin will also discuss humanitarian cooperation. This year the two countries will mark several important dates, including the 200th anniversary of the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812 and the 1150th anniversary of the Russian statehood. The single migration space and the absence of customs and border controls contribute to closer cooperation in culture, science and education.

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