EU urgently needs good relations with Belarus, president says

Alexander Lukashenko confirmed that Belarus is absolutely open in the relations with the European Union and has been pursuing a pragmatic policy. “We do not play any games. This is not in our interests. We are quite open in the relations with the European Union. We would like to thoroughly normalize our relations if the European Union wants this,” the Head of State said.

Belarus is categorically against any preliminary conditions in this process, the President underscored. “We do not lay down any conditions, though we do have some questions to the EU and to some individual countries,” he added. Alexander Lukashenko noted that it is necessary to conduct a dialogue, make agreements rather than shun each other. According to him, many challenges have appeared and they cannot be tackled without Belarus.

Addressing the Italian Ambassador, the Head of State thanked him for the positive contribution to the normalization of relations between Belarus and the European Union. According to the President, those positive changes, which have taken place in the relations between Belarus and the European Union would have been impossible without Italy. “We consider your mission in Belarus as positive. Despite the complicated relations with the EU, Italy was holding one of the key positions while you were in office. The pragmatism lies in the fact that it is impossible to exclude the state, which is situated in the centre of Europe, from the European family. We are thankful for this position,” the Head of State said.

Alexander Lukashenko took note of a significant growth of trade between Belarus and Italy, which can reach $1 billion this year. Both Belarusian export to Italy and import from that country have been increasing. Belarus is interested, first and foremost, in Italian products and technology.

Alexander Lukashenko said that Belarus hopes on an inflow of Italian investment. According to the Head of State, Belarus will welcome the Italian business on a broad scale. In 2002-2007 Belarus attracted more than $100 million of investment from Italy, in January-September this year almost $4 million. There are 87 companies with Italian investment in Belarus including 47 joint ventures and 40 foreign companies. The total amount of investments in their authorized funds reached $10 million. There are 12 offices of Italian organisations in Belarus.

In turn, the Ambassador of Italy to Belarus noted that humanitarian cooperation has become the solid basis for the development of bilateral relations, and the interest of Italian business circles has aroused from that kind of cooperation.

Norberto Capello noted the progress in the relations between Belarus and the European Union, expansion of the range of certain issues on negotiation table. This is in the interests of the whole Europe, he said.

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