Meeting with Chairman of the Executive Committee Sergei Lebedev

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko met with Chairman of the CIS Executive Committee – CIS Executive Secretary Sergei Lebedev on 27 May.
“We need to somehow think about the future areas of work for the CIS and set more ambitious tasks for it and make a kind of breakthrough in this organization,” the head of state said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that at present the CIS is basically a kind of discussion platform where, among other things, serious and important issues are discussed. “However, it seems to me that the tasks of this organization should be more specific. In fact, an umbrella organization for the EAEU, the CSTO, and so on. We need to have a frank discussion with the other heads of state whether they are ready to pursue closer cooperation, for example, economic cooperation in the EAEU, and political and military cooperation in the CSTO. Something like that. If you could work on this matter and put forward a relevant proposal, I would eagerly lobby this idea of yours, of our Executive Committee, i.e. to discuss efforts to give a greater impetus and weight to our organization within the framework of this summit of the heads of state,” the Belarusian President said. 

“I am talking about this, because the events of recent days, weeks and months clearly show that we need to stick together. I do not want anyone to think that I am trying to get the CIS countries involved in Belarus’ problems associated with the latest incidents and so on. No, that’s not the point. We need to think more seriously about the future. As far as these incidents are concerned – such incidents happened and will happen every now and then. Nobody guarantees that we will live a quiet life. However, the current generation of politicians who still speak the same language needs to get closer and take this matter very seriously,” the Belarusian leader emphasized.

It was noted that the CIS summit in Minsk at the level of the heads of state is scheduled for 15 October this year. Aleksandr Lukashenko said that the possibility of an offline summit in Minsk was recently discussed at a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council held through a video conference. “We planned that on the eve of the CIS summit we will hold a meeting of the EAEU presidents to discuss certain issues. And the CIS summit will be held the following day, as planned,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “I am ready to welcome the heads of state in person here, together with you, and to put out serious topics for discussion,” the President said.