26 August, Minsk /Tatyana Polezhay - BELTA/. Belarus is ready to transition to new working conditions with Russia calmly and in a business-like manner, but wants them to be fair and not as discriminatory as in the case of duties on petroleum products. This was stated today by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko at a meeting with the Governor of the Kursk Region Alexander Mikhailov, as reported by a BELTA correspondent. Alexander Lukashenko believes that clear and understandable rules of operation within the framework of the Customs Union of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan should be defined without any exceptions. "Moreover, the exceptions that exist and the duties provide absolutely no benefit, other than harm, to our relations with the Russian Federation," he stressed. The Head of State recalled that the implementation of agreements reached in Moscow and Astana is still being delayed, but not through the fault of the Belarusian side. The President also expressed doubt about the need to pragmatize relations between Belarus and Russia. "Who knows if we need this approach in our relations between two historically and spiritually close states and peoples," the President said. "Of course, not everything can be measured in rubles, dollars, or, if you like, cubic meters of gas. But since it has become accepted by someone in Moscow, we are forced to take this into account from our side as well." -0-

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