Maxim Oreshkin: Belarus and Russia have brought their positions on oil and gas closer

07.12.2019. Belarus and Russia have brought their positions on oil and gas closer together. Minister of economic development Maxim Oreshkin told journalists in Sochi after the talks between the presidents of Belarus and Russia. "Today was a busy day. In fact, we have worked very fruitfully in a number of areas. Agriculture, communications, customs, regulation of the oil market. We have made very serious progress, even on the issue of oil and gas positions were very seriously converged, " the Minister said.

According to him, further from Monday at the expert level will begin active study of the received instructions. "In order to formulate all this and immerse it in roadmaps. Then we will report to the Prime Ministers and presidents, " Maxim Oreshkin said.

"We have a small number of controversial issues left before these two days. Now there are even fewer of them. We understand how most of them move forward. We have instructions. Now we will work and continue to move forward, " he added.

In early September, the Prime Ministers of Belarus and Russia agreed on a draft action programme for the implementation of the Union Treaty and a list of roadmaps. The parties agreed to develop 31 road maps for the implementation of this program. Belarus ' Ambassador to Russia Vladimir Semashko reported on November 20 that the parties had fully agreed on 21 roadmaps.

A meeting of Prime Ministers of Belarus and Russia Sergei Rumas and Dmitry Medvedev took place in Sochi yesterday, where the parties discussed the relevant topics ahead of the summit talks. In particular, the unresolved issues of integration in the Union state were considered. As of the morning of December 6, 16 issues on integration cards remained to be agreed. After the one-on-one meeting, the talks continued in an expanded format with the participation of government delegations. First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Krutoy, Deputy Prime Minister Igor Lyashenko, Finance Minister Maxim Yermolovich, energy Minister Viktor Karankevich, Chairman of Belneftekhim concern Andrey Rybakov and other heads of state bodies participated from the Belarusian side.

Earlier it was also reported that the action program will be of a framework nature. All specific issues will be covered in roadmaps. After the roadmaps, work on regulations is expected to begin during 2020. At the same time, there is already a different degree of unification in different spheres. The launch of single markets in the main areas is expected from January 1, 2021. But there can be deviations taking into account sectoral features.

It is noteworthy that the Belarusian-Russian talks in Sochi were held on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on the establishment of the Union state.

BelTA