On June 27, 2008 a regular meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Union State was held in Moscow. Belarus has been and remains the main area of the Russian foreign policy, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Belarusian Premier Sergei Sidorsky. Vladimir Putin noted that Belarus and Russia continue working in all areas, above all, in trade and economic area, he said. Last year the Belarusian-Russian trade surged by 30% as against 2006. Over the four months this year it was up 60%. “Our efforts yield real results,” Vladimir Putin highlighted.

Prime Minister

Sergei S. Sidorsky

First Deputy Prime Minister

Vladimir I. Semashko

Deputy Prime Minister

Ivan M. Bambiza

Deputy Prime Minister

Viktor P. Burya

Deputy Prime Minister

Andrei V. Kobyakov

Deputy Prime Minister

Aleksandr N. Kosinets

Head of the Presidential Administration

Gennady N. Nevyglas

Chairman of the State Control Committee

Zenon K. (Kuzmich) Lomat

Chairman of the Board of the National Bank

Petr P. Prokopovich

Minister of Finance

Nikolai P. Korbut

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Sergei N. Martynov

Minister of Economy

Nikolai P. Zaichenko

In Q1 2008, Belarus attracted $21.1 billion of foreign investments, 1.7 times up over the same period of 2007, First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Vladimir Semashko stated at a joint session of the two chambers of the Belarusian parliament on June 27.

Belarus will open a trade representation in the Samara region of the Russian Federation in the near future, Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky noted during his meeting with Governor of the Samara Region, Chairman of the Samara Government Vladimir Artyakov on June 25.

Inflation in Belarus is under control, Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky said at a session of the Council of Ministers on June 24.

The information that Belarus sells dried milk at antidumping prices in Russia is not true, Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky said at a meeting with State Secretary of the Union State Pavel Borodin.

Belarusian-Chinese scientific and technical cooperation contributes to improving the competitive ability of both the countries, First Vice Premier of Belarus Vladimir Semashko said in Minsk on June 24 at the opening of an exhibition timed to China Science Days in Belarus.

Belarus and Russia should gradually lift transport restrictions, Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky said as he met with Russia’s Transport Minister Igor Levitin in Minsk on June 23.

Uzbekistan offers Belarus to set up joint ventures in farm engineering, cattle breeding and pharmaceutics, Nodirkhon Khanov, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan - head of the construction sector, industry, construction material, housing and municipal services and transport, said at a session of the joint Belarus-Uzbek commission for bilateral cooperation.

The economic relations of Belarus and Uzbekistan have great potential for further development, First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Vladimir Semashko noted during his meeting with Naddirkhon Khanon, the Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan in Minsk on June 19.

In 2009-2010 the services sector of Belarus should grow 20% on average, First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Vladimir Semashko said at a session of the Council of Ministers Presidium focusing on the services sector development programme 2006-2010.