Russian President Vladimir Putin talks to his Belarus counterpart Alexander Lukashenko during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on December 25, 2018. (KREMLIN PHOTO)
MOSCOW, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Friday signed an order on creating a high-level working group with Belarus to discuss various aspects of bilateral integration and controversial issues, Russian media reported.
"We have agreed to form a working group. I have signed a relevant directive," Medevdev was quoted by Sputnik news agency as saying.
According to the prime minister, the Russian side of the working group will consist of representatives from all Russian state agencies, which include not only governmental bodies, but also the State Duma (lower house of parliament), the Federal Council (upper house of parliament) and the Accounts Chamber.
Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Oreshkin will head the Russian side of the working group, Medvedev said.
Oreshkin said that Russia and Belarus had already established contact on the issues expected to be discussed within the working group.
On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow and discussed key issues of integration between the two countries, direct investment and cooperation in the energy sector, as well as influences of the changes in the Russian tax legislation on the Belarusian economy.
The two presidents are scheduled to meet again on Saturday to continue the discussion on current issues of bilateral cooperation, according to the Kremlin.
