Belarus FM visits Warsaw: ‘We want to get rid of heavy dependence on Russia’
belsat.eu
12 October 2016, 02:53
During Monday’s press conference in Warsaw, Belsat TV asked Belarusian Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makey whether our country has the intention to U-turn to the West amid the current conflict with Moscow.
They may be primarily put down to our trade and economic cooperation, gas and oil supply and so on. Earlier, there were sugar and milk wars. Of course, we see the underlying reasons for these conflicts. But we have always proceeded from the fact that any problem should be solved, especially problems between close partners and allies. We think that the current issues will also be tackled.
On the contrary, we intend to strengthen these relations, but at the same time, we believe it is in the field of our national interest to develop normal good-neighborly relations with our Western partners, i.e. members of the European Union, the EU in general and other geopolitical enemies – the United States, other centers of power – China and so on.
Therefore, when we build up our relations with the European Union, China or Russia, we never do this to the detriment of our other partners. We want to find a reasonable, positive balance in our relations with all friendly countries and continents.”
As part of his working visit to Poland, Uladzimir Makey met with President Andrzej Duda and his Polish counterpart Witold Waszczykowski on October, 10.
12 October 2016, 02:53
“Belarus and Russia are very close partners and allies. More than 300 intergovernmental and regional state-to-state agreements and treaties have been reached in all fields – political, economic, military. Unfortunately, in the past there were certain conflicts, some problematic situations in our relations, now they happen as well.
They may be primarily put down to our trade and economic cooperation, gas and oil supply and so on. Earlier, there were sugar and milk wars. Of course, we see the underlying reasons for these conflicts. But we have always proceeded from the fact that any problem should be solved, especially problems between close partners and allies. We think that the current issues will also be tackled.
When it comes to our key partners, we are not going to break away from Russia, we realize that Belarus is overly dependent on it economically. But we want to get rid of this heavy dependence, we want to be less dependent on one state, because this is very disadvantageous during the financial crisis, which we have recently been witness to. But this does not mean that we are ready to cut all ties with our main ally and partner.
On the contrary, we intend to strengthen these relations, but at the same time, we believe it is in the field of our national interest to develop normal good-neighborly relations with our Western partners, i.e. members of the European Union, the EU in general and other geopolitical enemies – the United States, other centers of power – China and so on.
Therefore, when we build up our relations with the European Union, China or Russia, we never do this to the detriment of our other partners. We want to find a reasonable, positive balance in our relations with all friendly countries and continents.”
As part of his working visit to Poland, Uladzimir Makey met with President Andrzej Duda and his Polish counterpart Witold Waszczykowski on October, 10.
