Financial Resources and Loans Are Most Important for Us
Recently, the Belarusian ruler, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, announced that favorable conditions exist for entering into a partnership with the European Union. At a Miensk meeting with European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, he stated, “Our desire to establish good relations with you is sincere, though some do not like it.” He suggested, “I think you won’t regret your visit to Belarus,” adding, “I’d like to have an absolutely sincere and honest dialogue,” (reports Interfax)..
The Belarusian dictator defended his past relationship with Europe: “There are politicians who think Lukashenka is playing with Europe without planning to change anything in the country and in relations with Europe.” He further stated, “I never meant to be mean during the years of my presidency. Perhaps I do not look like a diplomat in a white shirt, but I think politics must be honest. It’s better to tell the truth even if it isn’t profitable for you, because a lie will be revealed later and it will be difficult to settle the situation.” He added, “I am ready to answer any inconvenient questions you might have”
“According to Lukashenka, “much depends on this meeting…. What do we want from Europe? We want you to understand that Belarus is not only a geographical center of the continent. It is a country of honest, fair, and hard-working people. It is a sovereign independent state.” He stressed that “the European Union is our neighbor. Our trade with the EU amounts to 50 per cent in our total trade in volume, we have a positive trade balance….” He continued, “You are adaptable to streamlined production methods. This (the EU – Interfax) is the most productive center of the planet. Our economy is also efficient, yet we cannot develop it without cooperation with you,” adding, “financial resources, loans and financing are also important for us.”
“What can we add to the scale of our relations with Europe?” he asked. “Europe cannot exist without its heart (Belarus – Interfax). Moreover, we are a link, a bridge between such giants as the European Union and Russia,” said Lukashenka. He expanded, the “main oil and gas pipes, as well as automobile and rail arteries, pass through
Belarus….They are in good working order, far better than those of our neighbors,” said Lukashenka. He then drew attention to Belarus’ safety measures. “You have never complained about us failing to secure basic elements of the EU’s safety. We combat illegal migration, drug trafficking, and trafficking of radioactive materials,” said the ruler. Lukashenka also added that “the situation in our country is absolutely stable; we have no religious or ethnic conflicts.”
The Belarusian ruler believes that he created “a basis suitable for our further relations”. Ferrero-Waldner, said in turn, it was the first visit of a European commissioner to Meinsk. Lukashenka responded, “and not the last, I hope.” According to the European commissioner, the visit was symbolic. It symbolizes the potential of the EU-Belarus relations, said Ferrero-Waldner. The European commissioner said the EU and Belarus stood at the crossroads of Europe, where cooperation should be two-way. If the Belarusian side shows movement, the potential of their relations will be realized.
European Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner reminded Lukashenka that the EU member states had addressed Belarus calling her to fulfill a number of conditions. She noted that some of the conditions had been fulfilled, allowing Europe to review its approaches toward Belarus. She added, however, that some of the requests had not been implemented. Ferrero-Waldner said the EU would be ready to establish cooperation with Belarus if it demonstrated a desire to implement the remaining requests.
The Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy noted that the EU respected the sovereignty of Belarus and its history, and understood its difficult role as a bridge between the East and West.
This article appeared in
Belarusian Review, Vol. 21, No. 3
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Copyright 2009 Belarusian Review
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Source: Charter 97 Press Center, June. 22, 2009
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