Seminar in Nizhny Novgorod: Issues of the Union State Development in the Security and Military-Technical Cooperation Sphere Discussed

On 24-26 November Nizhny Novgorod hosted the 43th session of the seminar of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia. Its subject was Military-Technical Cooperation of Belarus and Russia in the Conditions of Innovation Processes and Import Substitution.
Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia, representatives of the Permanent Committee of the Union State, ministries and agencies of Belarus and Russia, international organisations, as well as defence companies participated in the event.
During the event, there were discussed topical issues of the Union State development in the sphere of security and military-technical cooperation, including trans-regional cooperation and cooperation of Belarus and Russian in the security sphere.
According to the participants of the seminar, the main tasks are joint work on reequipment and upgrade of defence industry, development of promising arms and full cycle of military production.
During the seminar, it was pointed out that military and military-technical cooperation between Russia and Belarus was an important element of security of both states. It is based on mutual efforts of both parties to keep up the necessary military potential, organisation and implementation of joint measures for prevention of a military threat and repulse of aggression.
Joint work of Belarusian and Russian lawmakers gives great results in optimisation of legal base of military-technical cooperation.
Besides, the participants discussed unification and harmonisation of laws of Russia and Belarus in order to strengthen military-technical cooperation.
Member of the Parliamentary Assembly on Security, Defence and Crime Combating, Deputy Chairman of the Permanent Committee on Laws of the House of Representatives, Belarus National Assembly, Eduard Senkevich noted that innovations and import substitution were important these days as never before. In spite of the fact that these words signify modern times, the Union State has been working in this direction for more than ten years already. He also added, "Belarus and Russia are interested not just in substitution of imported products for national ones. I mean development of products that can be competitive not only in Russia and Belarus, but abroad as well."
Member of the State Duma of Russia, Member of the Committee on Defence of the State Duma Alexander Tarnaev noted that Russia didn't have that close cooperation ties with any other country. According to his data, 15% of Russian armament is produced with the help of Belarusian defence companies. Alexander Tarnaev clarified that this figure was growing. Cooperation with Belarus is important, particularly, regarding import substitution of electronics.
"Since the USSR times, Belarus has been producing components, and armament has been assembled in Russia," said Eduard Senkevich. "I mean air defence systems, sights...Optics is developed greatly. Our technologies are used even in outer space."
"Russia is the main supplier of defence products to Belarus. The supplied products have the same characteristics and components as the products for the Russian Armed Forces," underlined Deputy Minister of Defence for Armaments of Belarus Maj. Gen. Igor Lotenkov. "Since 2012, more than 100 contracts have been signed, and 71 of them have been already executed. In 2014 alone 46 types of armament and special equipment have been supplied. These are the Tor-M2 SAMs, laser DME indicators, components and parts of aviation equipment, special small arms and ammunitions for them. Four Yak-130 aircraft, radio stations, and body armour were supplied in 2015. Agreements on delivery of 12 Mi-8 helicopters and 32 armoured carriers of Arzamas Machinery Plant were signed.
At present, the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast has significant scientific potential, and the defence companies are famous far beyond the region. Innovations and import substitution are among the key tasks today.
According to Irina Negrebetskaya, director of external relations department of the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, they will promote cooperation in other fields as well. She said, "We realise that in modern conditions it is the defence industry that demonstrated the biggest increase of production volume, and promotion of cooperation between the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast and Belarus in this sphere gives a new boost for production volume increase in other industries.
Participants of the seminar gave suggestions on promotion of military-technical cooperation between the countries in order to prevent any threat from abroad. The suggestions became the basis of the final document that defines further priorities of defence industries of the two countries. The document will be further sent to the concerned government agencies and ministries of Belarus and Russia.