The integration of Russia and Belarus in security matters is much deeper now than was provided for by the corresponding union program approved a year ago.
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko announced this today at a meeting on the implementation of integration programs of the Union State, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“Time has now pushed us in such a way that the security programs that we approved six months ago are already outdated. We have already come in bilateral relations on security issues, oh, how far we have come. I'm even afraid to tell you how far. The time will come, we will meet with journalists. I will inform you about this confidentially. Life pushed us - we went for closer integration,” Lukashenko said.
At the same time, he admitted that the remaining 28 programs related to socio-economic interaction were not accepted easily.
“It’s not just that Putin and I got together there and “bang” something. No. The responsible officials gathered and discussed at the Supreme State Council. We have approved these programs. But it sparkled a lot when we accepted these programs. There were dozens of them. We agreed on 28.
There were proposals to create a parliament and something else. All this was rejected. And President Putin, reacting to my remarks, told his negotiators: “Why are we rushing around and straining? If we are not ready to resolve these issues today, then there is no need. If the need arises, we will decide" But we always insisted: there is no need to put the cart before the horse. This was fundamental,” Lukashenko said.