Russia and Belarus agreed to switch to Russian roubles to pay for oil and gas supplies, Belarusian Vice-Premier Andrei Kobyakov said after the talks with Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin on Thursday.
Russia and Belarus signed a memorandum on understanding in which they vowed to coordinate measures to raise the competitive edge of their respective national economies. Under the memorandum signed by Deputy Prime Ministers Alexei Kudrin of Russia and Andrei Kabyakou of Belarus, Russia will grant its partner a loan of $2bn in 2008-2009 for a period of 15 years at the interest rate of LIBOR plus 3 percent.
President Alyaksandr Lukashenka is in talks with Moscow about placing in Belarus advanced Iskander missiles that could hit targets deep inside Europe.
President Alyaksandr Lukashenka of Belarus, left, who met Oct. 26 near Moscow with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, says that Belarus would like to deploy missiles even if it doesn't reach an agreement with Moscow.
Oracle, the world's largest software development company, is expected to open a representative office in Belarus soon, Oracle Vice President, Director General for the CIS Boris Shcherbakov told a press conference on November 13, reported Belta.
Belarus would like to set up joint ventures with Moldova to produce champagne and still wines, BelTA learnt from Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Moldova Vasily Sakovich.
12 November 2008: Fitch Ratings has today affirmed Belarusbank's (BBK) Long-term foreign currency Issuer Default rating (IDR) at 'B-'(B minus). A full list of rating actions follows at the end of this commentary.
Former Belarus' Defenсe Minister describes this project as mutually advantageous for Belarus and Russia and says that even when Belarus will one day try to the enter the European Union, a joint air-defence system with Russia will not hamper that move .
The head of the Presidential Administration has criticized the isolation of Belarus by the West and promised "positive steps" on the part of the country's authorities in the media market. "Belarus, an integral part of Europe, has been absolutely undeservingly facing economic and political pressure for many years, becoming a source for the production of sinister and fantastic thrillers," the head, Uladzimir Makey, said at the opening of the 11th Minsk Forum on Thursday.
The European Unions is hoping and expecting that the Belarusian government will "decisively" continue to move toward democracy and respect for human rights, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a statement issued on the occasion of the 11th Minsk Forum that opened in Minsk on Thursday.
Russia and Belarus agreed to switch to Russian roubles to pay for oil and gas supplies, Belarusian Vice-Premier Andrei Kobyakov said after the talks with Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin on Thursday.
![[Belarus]](http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NA-AT976_BELARU_D_20081113181340.jpg)
President Alyaksandr Lukashenka is in talks with Moscow about placing in Belarus advanced Iskander missiles that could hit targets deep inside Europe. 
Oracle, the world's largest software development company, is expected to open a representative office in Belarus soon, Oracle Vice President, Director General for the CIS Boris Shcherbakov told a press conference on November 13, reported Belta.
