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Opening of the meeting, Mr Medvedev suggested touching base on the current state of bilateral relations, first and foremost in the context of problems of integration within the Customs Union and prospects for creating a Common Economic Space:

“I think that first of all, we must focus on our bilateral relations. I am referring to our integration aspirations, our desire to create a Customs Union, and subsequently create a Common Economic Space. We must also talk about what currently stands in the way of achieving this: whether there are any irreconcilable differences, or we can still adjust them and enter the final phase of implementing the agreements we have reached in Minsk and subsequently reinforced.”

President Medvedev also briefed his Belarusian counterpart about the outcomes of the SCO summit in Tashkent and suggested discussing the upcoming G8 and G20 summits. Dmitry Medvedev emphasised that at international forums where the CIS countries and other associations are not represented, Russia always advocates the interests of its partners.

Mr Medvedev noted that the increase in turnover between Russia and Belarus in the first four months of this year is a good achievement in the two countries’ bilateral relations.