Russia-Belarus joint anti-missile possible

Russia and Belarus have also started merging their science and technology sectors and have given consideration to a draft joint logistic plan for 2009 for the Russian-Belarusian regional armed forces group.

The meeting looked at proposals for essentially new Union State programmes, one of them being a nano-technology programme

Russia is interested in creating a common currency pool with Belarus, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on a visit to Minsk. Moscow would also like to expand the use of the rouble in trade between the countries.

On the agenda of Putin's visit was a customs union to free up trade between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko said he wanted to see closer economic ties between the countries.