Belarus’s Foreign Ministry expects diplomatic contacts with the European Union to expand. Deputy Foreign Minister Ihar Sakreta said this on Belarusian television while commenting on yesterday’s conversation between Aliaksandr Lukashenka and Emmanuel Macron.
Sakreta did not disclose additional details of the conversation itself.
“I think such conversations do not happen without reason. Undoubtedly, this reflects growing interest in Belarus’s role and place in Europe, and a need for dialogue that is being expressed in this way. Yesterday, the leaders of our countries had a fairly lengthy conversation and discussed issues on the regional agenda, regional security, as well as cooperation between the Republic of Belarus and the European Union and France in particular”, he said.
At the same time, he expects contacts to increase.
“Probably the main positive outcome of this conversation is that interest is growing in normal, fully civilised contacts and in this communication that has been absent for several years.
I am confident that there will be more such contacts — through diplomatic channels, through interstate channels and, naturally, through other agencies.
I think we are facing some quite interesting discussions. There is a lot to discuss, and we are ready for that — that is the main thing. We have a fairly broad range of issues that were put on hold or to which our partners have not yet responded. We support dialogue”, he added.
According to the deputy foreign minister, dialogue between Minsk and Washington is also encouraging European partners.
“I think that contacts with Washington today, to some extent, set the tone and help awaken our colleagues in Europe, so to speak. Because, in my view, it is easier to maintain dialogue with Washington than with Europe, since Europe has 27 participants. At any moment, a special opinion or position of a single state can override any agreements.
With Washington, we know whom we are dealing with — there is a single decision-making centre. In this respect, the decisions reached between Minsk and Washington are implemented and take shape, whether in the form of sanctions relief or solutions regarding supplies of particular products.
These contacts have not stopped, work is continuing behind closed doors, including discussions on a fairly broad range of issues, among them regional security, which was discussed yesterday by the leaders of Belarus and France”, he said.
