ST. PETERSBURG, July 18. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has called on his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to resolve all disputes and develop an integration strategy before December 8, a date that will mark the 20th anniversary of the Union State of Belarus and Russia.

"Our Union Treaty will turn 20 in December and I think that not a single issue should go beyond that date. We are pressed for time. What shall we say when we celebrate the anniversary? We shall have nothing to say if we fail to resolve all the remaining issues and to sign a program determining our future activities," Lukashenko pointed out.

"I suggest sorting out all issues before that date within the Supreme State Council, and adopting a program that will define our action strategy," the Belarusian president added.

According to Lukashenko, he supports the two governments’ initiative to reach an understanding before the 20th anniversary of the Union Treaty.

The Belarusian leader pointed out that people in both countries had long been looking forward to the specific decisions to be made by the presidents. "This is the time to make decisions," he stressed. Lukashenko mentioned that he had faced public criticism over his numerous meetings with the Russian president, which hadn’t produced any particular results.

"We have determined areas where we should work, we have made an action plan and… created an intergovernmental working group," Lukashenko said, adding that all issues had been forwarded to the countries’ governments.