"Today it is evident to anyone that our integration has taken place, it’s developing and has good prospects ahead. Union of Belarus and Russia has become geopolitical reality that influences on historical processes." This is what was emphasized by President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko when opening the First Belarusian-Russian economic forum.

Missiles in Exchange for Wheels
// Moscow shares S-300 system with Belarus

Fraternity of Arms
State-run Russian Rosoboronexport and Belarusian Beltekhexport sealed in Minsk on Saturday an agreement on the Russian supplies to Belarus of a regimental set of S-300PS anti-aircraft missile system. The set will be taken from the Russian Defense Ministry, the system is now adopted by the Air Force. Belarus will pay only 150 million rubles for the pre-sale preparation of the systems.
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Integration with Belarus Has Gotten Cheaper

// Subsidized gas prices go down by $29 million
Friendship of Nations
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov showed his support for Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's efforts to deepen integration in the union state yesterday in Minsk. He promised to a lot by the end of the year $146 million for the purchase of natural gas from Gazprom at new, higher prices. In addition, Fradkov opened an exhibit of Russian goods in Minsk and spoke at the first union business forum.
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The 60th General Assembly of the United Nations opens in New York


BELARUSIAN TELEGRAPH AGENCY
12.09.2005 11:24:39

The 60th session of the UN General Assembly will start its work September 13 in New York.

The press-service of the Belarusian foreign ministry reported the Belarusian delegation would take part in the plenary sessions to discuss vital for Belarus issues. A number of drafts resolutions are expected to be submitted to the General Assembly, in particular, Chernobyl and disarmament resolutions.

Belarusian foreign minister Sergei Martynov is expected to participate in a political debate and in the non-aligned movement ministerial meeting. Besides, Sergei Martynov will hold a number of bilateral meetings with heads of delegations of the UN member-states and the UNO leadership, give an interview to foreign mass media outlets.

The 60th session of the UN General Assembly is devoted to the five-year survey of the development goals’ achievement. They were worded in the UN Millennium Declaration adopted in 2000 in the course of the 55th session of the General Assembly. The session is planned to pay special attention to issues on the UN reformation, the foreign ministry’s press service noted.

Russians are not welcome in EU - 09/12/2005 16:12



Getting Shengen visa to become a real ordeal for Russians

To make the struggle against terrorism and illegal migration more effective, the European Union toughens the visa regime for the third world citizens beginning with the next year. This will first of all concern people in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, those countries where the getting visa procedures are quite long today. The innovation means that now the procedure may take even several more months there...
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Speaking Russian is considered cursing in Germany
09/12/2005 19:51

Angela Merkel says that immigrants nust assimilate and learn to speak German



18 September is the day of the coming elections to Bundestag in Germany. The main rival of the present German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder will be Christian Democratic Union leader Angela Merkel. Most of the Germans hope that she will lead the country out of prolonged economic crisis.

Russian politicians are mostly worried about the kind of relations that will develop between president Vladimir Putin and the new lady-chancellor. However, for a certain group of people the victory of Angela Merkel can worsen the living conditions. These are so-called Russian Germans, who emigrated from Russia several years ago.
To this day five million (some sources name seven million) Russians are living in Germany. They cannot be called Russians in the proper sense of the word, as most of them are ethnic Germans, descendants of those who immigrated to Russia in the time of Peter the Great and kept up their traditions for centuries until deported to Kazakhstan by Stalin. After the USSR had collapsed Germany called its lost citizens back home.
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Lukashenka has high praise for Castro.
BELARUSIAN TELEGRAPH AGENCY
12.09.2005 11:07:45
Alexander Lukashenko confident Belarus and Cuba continue develop friendly relations

At the meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Cuba to Belarus Felix Leon Carballo head of state Alexander Lukashenko voiced confidence the two countries would continue to develop friendly bilateral relations. The meeting took place September 12 in view of expiry of the Cuban diplomat’s term in office.

Alexander Lukashenko regretted it is sad to see “friends go and leave a country they did everything possible to see flourish and boost friendly contacts with”. Alexander Lukashenko wished Felix Leon Carballo success and invited him to visit Belarus at any time.

The head of state asked the diplomat to convey warm and friendly greetings to leader of Cuba Fidel Castro: “I remember everything we talked about during my visit to Cuba. If Fidel Castro comes to Europe and would like to visit Belarus we would be happy to greet him as a close friend and a good man”.

Alexander Lukashenko Congratulates the Leader of the Great Libyan Revolution Colonel Muammar al–Qadhafi
President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has extended congratulations to the Leader of the Great Libyan Al-Fateh Revolution Colonel Muammar al–Qadhafi on Libya’s national holiday – the Revolution Day.
The Head of the Belarusian State noted with satisfaction that our countries have established the relationship of mutual respect and trust and he expressed the confidence that the Belarusian-Libyan political and economic partnership would have a long-term future.