Belarus and Russia to Discuss Regulatory Acts Related to Their Military Integration

Defence Ministers of Russia and Belarus will hold a session of the joint collegium of the two countries' defence ministries in Minsk on Friday. It will be devoted to the essential regulatory acts in the sphere of military integration of the two countries. The information department of the Belarussian defence ministry reported that it is planned to discuss, during the session, the draft concept of legislation foundations "On Military Duty and Military Service", as well as crucial draft regulatory acts of the union state's defence, military service and social protection of servicemen.

Joint collegiums of the Russian and Belarussian defence ministries are being held in the capitals of the union states in turns. The previous session took place on October 18, 2002 in Moscow. It considered the draft programmes "aimed at further development of the Russian-Belarussian military and military-technical co-operation and at strengthening the defence potential of the union state," including in creating a single regional anti-aircraft system.

The defence ministers of Belarus and Russia, Leonid Maltsev and Sergei Ivanov, will gather for a closed bilateral session.