The official objective of the visit to Minsk of the head of the Russian FM Igor Ivanov, that started today, is participation in joint collegiums of the two Foreign ministries of the two countries. As it was said by the Belarusian FM, that the sides do not plan to discuss such vexed questions cooperation in gas and gas transportation industry. “It is outside the competence of the FM,” said press secretary of the Belarusian FM Andrej Savinykh to the “Vremya Novostej”. At the common collegium the program of coordinated actions of the two countries in the sphere of foreign policy for the years 2004-2005.

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In Maladziechna the talks among representatives of regional branches of the two coalitions – the People’s Coalition Five Plus and the European Coalition “Free Belarus” started. During the consultations the common strategy of actions at the parliamentary elections is worked up, common observation at the elections, division of the constituencies and other issues are discussed.

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On January 30 parliamentary delegation of Belarus left for Havana. As the press service of the “chamber of representatives of the national assembly” informed, this visit is held on the initiation of the leaders of the National Assembly of People’s Authority of the Republic of Cuba. The delegation of the Belarusian “MP’s” is headed by the deputy chairman of the Standing Committee on International Affairs and Relations with the CIS of the “Chamber of representatives”, head of the working group of the “national assembly” on cooperation with the Cuban parliament, Syarhei Kastsyan.

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“The National Assembly” of Belarus was denied the status of specially invited to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. This decision was made by the PACE Office on January 30 in Strasbourg, where the regular session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly took place. The letter of inquiry of the “national assembly” of Belarus about conferring a special guest status was discussed at different levels in Strasbourg, in committees, factions, at the sitting of the presidential committee. And in all cases, with rare exception, the common opinion was that Belarus cannot become the member of this organization.

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