January 21, 2003	Tuesday	Ziqa’ad 17, 1423

MINSK, Jan 20: The leaders of Russia and Belarus agreed Monday to step up economic integration, announcing that Belarus would adopt the Russian rouble as its national currency on January 1, 2005.

“From January 1, 2005, the Russian rouble is to be used as a common currency. Nothing prevents us from realizing this decision,” Russian President Vladimir Putin told a joint press conference in Minsk after a bilateral summit.

“This will require very difficult preparation. By the end of spring this year we must decide on the next steps and act on them,” Putin added.—AFP