. . . .

In so doing the Parties proceeded from the idea that the two nations have historically common faitbs and that the two peoples seek further approachement expressed in the Republic of Belarus, and October 1995 decisions passed by the Chambers of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. The Treaty on the Formation of the Community was ratified by the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and came into force as of the day when the ratification instruments were exchanged, i.e. 29th August, 1996. The Treaty provides, inter alia, for the parties to territorial integrity, as well as all the attributes of statebood without exception.

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According to the Treaty, it was decided to form a voluntary, deeply politically and economically integrated community with a purpose of uniting the potentials of the two states and creating equal opportunities for raising people's living standards and securing spiritual development of a personality.
The achievement of the above will be secured through the following:
formation of a single economic zone, uniting material and intellectual potential of the two countries, creating equal opportunities for free economic activity;
achieving harmony in regulating economic relations;
support of small businesses, encouragement of financial and industrial associations, transnational corporations, joint ventures and common market infrastructure development;
elaboration of coordinated plans for foreign, social and structural policies;
coordination of activities in providing security, frontier protection, crime prevention and other priorities of activities.
The Commvmky shall, by creating special bodies, exercise basic functions as follows:
implement common economic and social policy, work out and put into operation joint projects; shape a single legal framework;
carry out activities to establish and introduce a system of payments, to unify finance and credit, tax and budget systems;
work out and implement measures aimed at creating conditions for introducing common currency, elaborating a single customs policy;
form a single power engineering, transport and communication system, rational location of new industries and modernization of thc existing ones;
coordination of external economic activities;
organization of joint research and developments in the most important fields of science and technology, establishment of a common scientific, educational, information and cultural space;
coordination in securing enviromental protection, relief of post-accident and and force majeur effects;
coordination of activities in providing security and protection of fronties.
A Supreme Council shall be the Community's highest body which will be composed of heads of States and Governments, as well as the Chairman of the Executive Committee. The Supreme Council shall hold its meeting whenever necessarry, but at least once every three months.
The high representation of the Supreme Council enables it to take competent decisions on a wide range of socio-economic issues. It determines the general principles of securing peace and military constraction. In addition, Supreme Council shall decide on the development of the Community's legal framework and approve budget.
In order to practically implement the provisions of the Treaty, a permanently operating Executive Council shall be established.
The Executive Committee shall:
consider proposals prepared jointly by organisations concerned on the setting up of the Community organs which will follow up the solution of current problems and submit the proposals for the approval by the Supreme Council;
elaborate and endorse a range of activities needed to fulfill the resolutions of the Supreme Council, projects and programmes of the Community, organise the follow-up and control thereof;
coordinate the activities of other bodies and organisations which could be brought in by the two Parties for the purpose of implementing the Community's projects and programmes;
sign, on its own behalf, the necessary civil and legal agreements;
within the Community's budgetary resources, provide for financial and other support of the relevant projects and programmes, as well as other activities.
The Parliamentary Assembly shall be composed of an equal number of parliamentarians from both Parties and shall be charged with drafting purpose-oriented legislation. It shall submit proposals concerning the development of the Community's legal framework to organs having the right to legislative initiative.
The Executive Committee shall have its own Staff headed by an Administrator.
Over the period of their functioning, hte Community's Supreme Council and Executive Council have studied and decided on such socially importtant issues as securing for the citizens of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation of equal rights to employment, remuneration of labour and the granting of other social guarantees, equal possibilities in joining educational establishments and using health care services, as well as in minimizing and overcoming the after-effects of the Chernobyl accident, currency import and export, etc.
The Community has established closed contacts with other bodies of the CIS countries, international organisations and associations, participated, within its juridiction, in international projects.
At present, the Community has been actively working on the fulfilment of concrete tasks envisaged by the Programme of priority measures aimed at implementing the provisions of the Treaty on the Formation of the Community between Belarus and Russia with an end to create a single economic zone.
Making use of the world experience in issues of integration and proceeding from democratic principles, the Community seeks to build a market economy system, laying emphasis on rapid solution of social problems.

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IMPORTANT DATES IN THE INTEGRATION
2 April, 1996
A Treaty on the Formation of a Community between Belarus and Russia was signed in Moscow by President of the Republic of Belarus A. Lukashenko and President of the Russian Federation B. Yeltsin.
2 April, 1996
The first metting of the Supreme Council was held in Moscow at which President of the Republic of Belarus A. Lukashenko was elected Chairman of the Community Belarus-Russia.
V. Chernomyrdin, Prime-Minister of the Russian Federation, was elected Chairman of the Executive Committee.
The meeting discussed other organisational issues.
The Supreme Council of the Community passed resolutions as follows:
- On priority measures to put the Treaty on the Formation of a Community into operation (#1)
- On celebrating the day of Unity between Russia and Belarus on the 2nd of April (#2).
11 April, 1996
The first meeting of the Executive Committee of the Community was held, with the items on the agenda as follows:
- Progress of realization of the Treaty between t Belarus and Russia.
- Measures to complete the fulfilment of the Customs Agreement between Russian Federation and Belarus.
- Russia's Ministry of Education proposal an equal reciprocal possibility for school-leavers to join higher educational establishments.
The meeting adopted a resolution"On citizens' equal rights to have education" (#1).
29 April, 1996
An Agreement on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Russia-Belarus Community was signed in St.-Petersburg. The signatories for the Russian Federal Assembly were E. Stroev and G. Selezniov. For the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Belarus - S. Sharetsky.
15 May, 1996
The second meeting of the Executive Council was held, with the agenda as follows:
- What is to be done to secure Belarusian and Russian citizens equal rights to employment, remuneration of labour and granting of other social and labour guarantees.
- The draft Statute of the Supreme Council.
- Other business.
The meeting adopted a resolution "On reciprocal granting to Belarusian and Russian citizens of equal rights to receive comprehensive medical care" (#2).
A Programme of Action to implement the Agreement on Education for the Community was approved.
23 May, 1996
The Russian State Duma passed a resolution "On the Parliamentary Assembly of the Russia-Belarus Community".
18 June, 1996
The third meeting of the Executive Committee was held, with the agenda as follows:
- On free exchange of housing.
- On joint activities to minimize and overcome the after-effects of the Chernobyl accident.
- On procedures to implement the Treaty provisions on creating a common customs zone with joint management staff.
- On procedures to implement the Treaty provisions on creating a common weather forecast service.
- On common statistics processing.
- Other business.
By the decision of the Supreme Council of the Community the Statute of the Executive Committtee of the Russia-Belarus Community was endorsed(#3).
22 June, 1996
The second meeting of the Supreme Council of the Community was held in Brest which passed resolution as follows:
- On citizens' equal rights to employment, remuneration of labour and granting of other social and labour guarantees (#4).
- On free exchange of housing (#5).
- On joint action to minimize and overcome the after-effects of the Chernobyl accident (#6).
- On the Customs Committee of the Community (#7).
- Issues raised by organs of the Russia-Belarus Community (#8).
- On financing of the overhaul and restoration works on the "Brest-Hero Fortress" memorial complex (#9).
25 June, 1996
The first session of the Belarus-Russia Community Parliamentary Assembly was held in Smolensk. S. Sharetsky, Chairman of the Belarus Supreme Soviet, was elected Chairman of the Assembly.
29 August, 1996
An exchange of instruments of ratification dealing with the formation of the Belarus-Russia Community took place in Moscow, meaning that the Treaty was officially put into force.
4 September, 1996
The fourth meeting of the Executive Committee was held with the agenda as follows:
- On granting Belarusian and Russian citizens of equal rights to obtain property, own it, use it and dispose of it.
- What joint social and economic projects are there and how to implement them in 1996-1997.
- The draft provision on the Customs Committee of the Community.
- The draft plane of joint activities in the field of culture and tourism for the second half of 1996 and for 1997.
- What is being done to create a single communication system and other related issues.
The meeting adopted a resolution "On securing Belarusian and Russian citizens of equal rights and conditions for bringing in or taking out hard currency when crossing the common customs border" (#3).

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Belarus-Russia Community
Executive Council Staff Structure
.
Finance and Economy
Department
Deputy Chief Administration
Chief Department
for Special Programmes
.
Chief Legal Affairs and Regulation Department
Chief Administrator . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . Chief Currency and Finance Department
Chief Joint Action Department
.
Chief Social
Affairs Department
.
Chief Department
of Joint Projects
First Deputy Chief Administrator
Chief Economic
Department
.
Office of the Executive
Committee in Minsk

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