INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
Belarus Participated in
the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers in Moscow
The meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS) Council of foreign ministers was held in Moscow on August 23.
Belarus was represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov.
The main issue of the meeting was to increase
the effectiveness of CIS bodies. The heads of CIS foreign ministries put
forward several specific proposals on CIS reform. These proposals will be
discussed by CIS state leaders at the forthcoming summit in Kazan (Russia)
on August 26.
Moreover, the participants of the meeting
exchanged views on humanitarian cooperation, which includes education and
health care service, as well as on fight against organized crime and human
trafficking. The ministers also considered the drafts of announcement of
2006 as a Year of the Commonwealth.
It is also expected that the presidents of CIS
member-states will address their nations and international community on
occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, as well as adopt
a statement on UN 60th anniversary.
Belarus Accessed to the
Kyoto Protocol
President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander
Lukashenko signed into action Decree “On the Accession of the Republic of
Belarus to the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change.”
After the document comes into force Belarus will
be able to take part in joint implementation projects that would help to
attract necessary funds to introduce new technology and to modernize the
productions in the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as to
launch a large-scale sale of greenhouse gas quotas within the framework of
the Kyoto Protocol in 2008.
In line with the Kyoto Protocol the first budget
period is scheduled for 2008-2012. Within this period Belarus will have an
opportunity to sell about 40 million tons of greenhouse gases a year.
Belarus and International
Organization on Migration Intend to Enhance Cooperation
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
and Belarus intend to enhance cooperation which was discussed at the meeting
of Permanent Representative of Belarus to UN in Geneva Sergei Aleinik with
Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Brunson McKinley.
The preparations to the Conference of CIS
countries on migration and biometric technologies scheduled Minsk, August
30-31, 2005 were discussed. The Conference is being organized by IOM jointly
with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus with assistance of
Executive Committee of CIS.
The elaboration of IOM Program "Struggle against
human trafficking: Republic of Belarus" up to 2009 was also considered. The
main goal of the Program is to assist to the Government of Belarus in
fighting against human trafficking. IOM supposes to provide USD 6 million
for the realization of the Program.
Belarus to Implement WHO
Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
Belarusian Government intends to work out a plan
of implementation of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Framework
Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) before November 11, 2005.
Belarus signed the FCTC on June 17, 2004 in
New-York and joined it on June 14, 2005. The Ministry of Health will be
responsible for the FCTC implementation in Belarus. Framework Convention
Tobacco Control is the first ever public health agreement, entered into
force on February 27, 2005. The spread of the tobacco epidemic is recognized
as a global concern, with serious consequences for public health; and the
FCTC is the first international legal instrument designed to promote
multilateral cooperation and national action to reduce the growth and spread
of tobacco use.
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