OREANDA-NEWS. Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko finds it a priority for the CIS states to activate economic and commercial partnership and eliminate tariff exemptions.

Lukashenko made a statement to this effect in Minsk on Friday at a meeting of prime-ministers of the CIS states.

Lukashenko emphasized the fact that economic relations should remain a cementing agent for the Commonwealth, while CIS states should stake on power engineering, transport, agriculture, telecommunications, space, nano- and biotechnologies to promote partnership.

The Belarusian president said he believes the CIS should strengthen its role on the global arena as a factor of stability and security.