The message reads, in part:
“Our peoples have lived together for centuries as good friends and neighbours, and share common spiritual roots and glorious pages of a common history. This forms the solid foundation for the alliance between our two countries and for our successful efforts to develop an all-round mutually advantageous partnership, obtain visible results in trade and economic ties, and coordinate our policies on a broad range of regional and international issues.
I hope that these efforts to develop our bilateral cooperation’s great potential will continue to help us as our countries work to strengthen the democratic foundations of their statehood and pursue social and economic modernisation.
In this context, we think it very important to continue deepening our integration. The effectively functioning Customs Union between Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia, the development of the Common Economic Space between our three countries, and eventually of the Eurasian Economic Union pursue the goal of promoting the right conditions for our countries’ stable economic development and raising our peoples’ prosperity and quality of life.
I am sure that it is fully in our countries’ interests to carry out these plans, and will help to strengthen stability and security in Europe in general.”
Mr Medvedev concluded his message by wishing “the fraternal Belarusian people peace, success, and prosperity”.