Lukashenka explained why he appointed new foreign minister
"I need to note we did not have serious failures and blunders in foreign policy that could have had a negative impact on our country,"Alyaksandr Lukashenka said in Minsk on Wednesday as he presented Uladzimir Makei as new foreign minister, Interfax news angecy reports.
"We did that despite the huge pressure from certain countries because of our independent foreign policy and the desire to protect our national interests," he continued.
Speaking about the decision to relieve Syarhei Martynau of his post as the foreign minister and appointing Makei as new minister, the head of state noted: "I didn't analyze much how our allies and enemies would react to this step." "I'd like to declare my stance: Mr Syarhei [Martynau – Interfax] expressed a desire a rather long time ago to change his job after working for almost 10 years as the foreign minister," Lukashenka said. "It [the resignation – Interfax] was his initiative. From my point of view, it looked very decent, manlike, particularly his motivation," he stressed.
"He did a lot for the development of our foreign policy and foreign economy agency. He is a rational man. I have never been allergic to him personally and his actions. Moreover, I tried to get him involved in non-core activities, especially those requiring analytical work," Lukashenka said. He expressed a hope the results were not a merit only of Martynau, but of the whole ministery.
"Perhaps, with a new minister you will generate ideas we need not only in the foreign policy area but inside the state," Lukashenka told MFA representatives.
