Russia to formulate final position on Belarus loan at Putin-Lukashenko meeting - Kudrin
MINSK. May 19 (Interfax) - Russia's final position on granting a EurAsEC Anti-Crisis Fund loan for Belarus will be formulated at a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk on Thursday evening, said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Kudrin.
"Tonight Vladimir Putin will also have meetings with the Belarusian president and prime minister. There they will put a full stop in regard to the Russian position on the EurAsEC loan for Belarus," Kudrin told journalists in Minsk.
Kazakhstan, which will also participate in lending to Belarus through the EurAsEC Anti-Crisis Fund, has yet to determine its position, he said.
"Currently, Belarus has economic difficulties caused by the large deficit in its balance of payments," he said.
Belarus needs to take "additional measures to boost its export revenues and investment to the republic," he said.
"It seems to me, the Belarusian government is assessing the situation adequately, it has planned a number of measures which are already in place and which, I think, have already improved the situation," Kudrin said.
Such measures include a loan from the EurAsEC, the deputy prime minister said. "Today we already had contacts on this matter with the Belarusian finance minister and agreed upon all the aspects required for putting this matter forward at a meeting of the EurAsEC finance ministers," Kudrin added.