The Interview of Mr.Vladimir Makei, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, for the newspaper «Sovetskaya Belorussiya», September 13, 2013

Integration to accumulate wealth for a human

Mr.Vladimir Makei, Minister of Foreign Affairs, told the «Sovetskaya Belorussiya» observer about initiatives and achievements of the Chairmanship of Belarus in the CIS.

-Vladimir Vladimirovich, our country has been in the chair of the Commonwealth of Independent States this year. Please, tell us about the most important initiatives and their practical significance for Belarus and the Commonwealth on the whole.

- It is true that in accordance with the decision of the Council of Heads of States made in Ashkhabad on the 5th of December in 2012 our country is in the chair of the Commonwealth of Independent States over the year of 2013. What does it mean in practice? In short, it means that we are in the chair of all the authorized bodies of the Commonwealth, organizing the significant measures and in general setting the pitch for the activity of the CIS.

Let me underline immediately that Belarus is implementing its chairmanship in compliance with the guideline of the Head of our state at saving and increasing the positive experience of integration cooperation stored in the CIS. Our main task is to further the consolidation of mutually beneficial cooperation and correspondingly the increase of standard of well-being of our citizens. And we are carrying it out in a very responsible way.

As far back as the end of the last year the Concept of the chairmanship of Belarus was elaborated under the following motto: “Integration to accumulate wealth for a human: the consolidation of good-neighbourliness, the development of economic cooperation, the assistance to the increase of availability of ecological “green” technologies, the expansion of the dialogue between cultures.” We proposed a number of specific initiatives directed to the consolidation of the potential of the CIS.

The scale of this work could be shown by more than 70 economic, ecological, humanitarian and interregional events which we planned to hold. Some of the results of the first half-year can prove the success of our efforts. A number of important decisions were made regarding the results of the meeting of the Council of Heads of States of the Commonwealth which has been held in Minsk on the 31st of May this year.

The prime-ministers of the CIS countries signed 12 agreements devoted to the development of innovation cooperation, environment protection, cooperation in the sphere of peaceful use of atomic energy, interaction in the field of agriculture, development of radio-navigation in the CIS countries.

The International Youth Forum of the CIS countries “Friendship without Boundaries” was quite interesting and rich in content. The impressive presentations of the delegations of the CIS countries, “round tables” and important social events were held during this forum.

The VIIIth Belarusian International Media-forum was organized and successfully held by Belarus. The delegations from 15 countries participated in this forum.

One more outstanding event was the joint project of the MFA, the Ministry of Communication and the republican unitary enterprise “Belpochta” on issuing the postage stamp devoted to the ongoing chairmanship of Belarus in the CIS. And when the envelopes with this postage stamp are sent all over the Commonwealth and other countries, they will serve as our calling card.

- Vladimir Vladimirovich, could the concrete economic effect from the participation in the Commonwealth of Independent States be expressed?

- While forming the cooperation in the frames of the CIS the priority attention is being paid to the increase of effectiveness of economic ties between the member countries for further increase of standard of life and well-being of our nations. An important element of this work is the development of the free-trade area of the Commonwealth. By the way, Uzbekistan has joined it recently. And in the nearest perspective the CIS countries are planning to reach an agreement on forming the zone of free-trade in services.

Belarus also pays much attention to the development of cooperation in the innovation sector and as a result we are carrying out the adequate intergovernmental program. It consists of 11 innovation projects, the total cost of which is more than 190 million US dollar. Not without pride, it should be mentioned that the Belarusian scientific institutes, enterprises and institutes of higher education are taking part in 9 of them and a number of the above projects were initiated by the Belarusian party.

-Nowadays the issues of ecology, environment protection are being brought to the forefront among the global priorities. How much attention is being paid to this subject matter in the CIS?

- The current year was declared in the Commonwealth as the Year of ecological culture and environment protection. It should be mentioned that the significant quantity of the events (about 40 of them) of ecological orientation were initiated by Belarus.

Our country has also come forward with the initiative of realization of a number of the projects on foreground use of renewable energy resources.

The section devoted to the subject matter of ecological “green” technologies in the participant states of the CIS. The International exhibition of the CIS countries “Human. Ecology. Eco-production and technologies — 2013” has become one of the key events in this sphere held in Minsk in spring this year.

The chairmanship of Belarus has made provision for discussion of the issues of further technical extension and modernization of the economies of the CIS participant states taking into account the knowledge of “green” technologies, the development of ecological potential of the transport and road infrastructure.

As expected an additional attention to the subject matter of ecology will be attracted during the VIIIth Forum of creative and scientific intellectuals of the CIS states which will be held in coming days.

- A major summit is being expected to be held in Minsk in October, which will be visited by the heads of states of the CIS countries. Tell us, please, how is the preparation going on?

- Belarus has entered the active phase of its chairmanship. And in the nearest time many of interesting forums and meeting are waiting for us. The most informative period in the calendar of the chairmanship of Belarus concerning the significant events within the Commonwealth will be undoubtedly the autumn period.

On the 25th of October in Minsk we will be receiving the presidents of the CIS participant states, who will arrive for the participation in the meeting of the Council of Heads of States of the Commonwealth of Independent States. And the day before the ministers of foreign affairs from the countries of the organization will visit the capital of Belarus.

I am sure that the distinguished guests will be able to effectively use the Minsk area for interested discussion of both the urgent issues of our interrelations and the perspectives of further strengthening of human, economic, ecological and cultural potential of the Commonwealth.

In conclusion of our conversation I would like to underline the true priority of the chairmanship of Belarus in the CIS. This is the strengthening of good-neighbourly relations within the Commonwealth, the reconstruction and development of deep ties which have united our nations for ages. And in order to make those human ties tighter, in the nearest time we will conduct a familiarization tour with the participation of the representatives of the administrative-territorial entities of the CIS states for studying the experience of the activity of the euro-regions “Neman” and “Ozernyj kraj”. The partnership relations between countries, business entities and people are being extended and favour the development of the integration processes.