Belarus' president and Putin 'dotted many i's' at Saint Petersburg meeting

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – Belarus’ leader said on Tuesday that he "dotted many i's" at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a two-day informal Commonwealth of Independent States summit in Saint Petersburg.

"If someone thinks ... that we only drink tea, then I must say that yesterday we discussed a lot of issues not only at this tea party, but also late at night, returning home,” said Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus’ president.

"Sometimes it takes years for some states to do this – we put many dots on I’s in the evening, continuing our Minsk dialogue, which was mainly about the economy," he added, referring to his Dec. 19 meeting with Putin in Minsk.

According to Lukashenko, he and Putin did their part, now it is up to the governments of the two countries to finalize what they discussed.

"They can't have any questions for us already – we've already decided everything they asked for," he stressed.

For his part, Putin called the informal summit "a good opportunity to discuss serious topics," including bilateral ties.

"Although we’re in constant contact, nevertheless, life every day gives us a reason to discuss some issues and make the necessary decisions so that they are solved effectively.

"Therefore, I am very glad that on the sidelines of our informal meeting, the two of us can meet again and discuss what is of mutual interest," he said.

The CIS informal summit on Monday and Tuesday ended with a working breakfast at a Russian Museum in Saint Petersburg where the leaders of Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan viewed part of an exhibit in the Mikhailovsky Palace.