Dmitry Sukhoparov, head of the ministry's foreign relations department, said a bundle of 38 drafts due to be agreed on next Friday in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, dealt primarily with creating a regulatory framework for a customs union between the three former Soviet republics and also potentially Ukraine.
"We have enjoyed free trade since 1992, and there are only two exceptions on the 12,000-item merchandise list - sugar and spirit [with Ukraine]," he said. "Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan have no exceptions at all, and no duties are withheld."
Sukhoparov said the documents could only be signed as a batch. Ukraine has said it is willing to sign only 11 of the documents.
The three countries have already agreed at expert level more than 60 draft documents on free circulation of goods and services and harmonization of customs, energy, transportation and other key sectors, Sukhoparov said, adding that all the documents would be ready for signing by yearend.
