OREANDA-NEWS. October 15, 2009. The next meeting of the Union State Council of Ministers will be held on October 28, 2009, Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky said during his meeting with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

He suggested specifying some issues before including them in the agenda for the meeting.

The next Union State Supreme State Council session is expected to take place in December, Putin said.

According to the Russian premier, trade turnover between the two countries has been showing positive trends despite the crisis, and Belarusian supplies to Russia increased year-on-year in the first six months, whereas Russian exports to Belarus decreased. According to Putin, Belarus enjoys the most preferential gas and oil prices, which allows Belarusian refineries to work at their full capacity.

Also, Belarus supplies 80% of its dairy products and 90% of meat products to Russia, and Belarusian suppliers enjoy the same benefits as Russian makers.

Mutual trade turnover contracted more than 40% in the first eight months and fell to the 2005 level, although the two economies are rather optimistic.

The joint action plan to address the crisis, approved by the two premiers, is being worked on in the ministries of Belarus and Russia, Sidorsky added.

Also, a program of concerted actions in the fuel and energy complex has been elaborated. Sidorsky invited Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin to discuss the program in Minsk.