Republic
11.12.2007
On December 11 President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko received credentials from ambassadors of nine countries, namely Albania, Italy, Qatar, DPRK, Columbia, Myanmar, Norway, Poland and Tanzania, the presidential press service told BelTA.
Addressing the diplomats, the President underscored they were starting working in a calm and peaceful country, a country open for friends and partners. Belarus’ domestic policy is aimed at handling large-scale social tasks, raising living standards of the nation, and ensuring dynamic economic development. Belarus’ foreign policy corresponds to these goals as well, said the head of state.
Business circles of Belarus and Italy should invigorate their contacts and expand cooperation in the credit and investment area, said the President as he received credentials from Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Italy to Belarus Norberto Cappello.
The Belarusian head of state expressed satisfaction with the positive results of the Belarusian-Italian cooperation obtained over the last 15 years of diplomatic relations. According to Alexander Lukashenko, the respective dialogue between the two countries is based on the solid foundation of grassroots diplomacy. The President was grateful to the Italian people for their help with the recreation of Belarusian children affected by the Chernobyl catastrophe.
Receiving credentials from Henryk Litwin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Poland to Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko said that Belarus has ever adhered to promoting good neighbourly and equivocal relations with Poland in political, economic, and humanitarian fields.
According to the Belarusian head of state, there are a lot of areas where common interests of the two countries are obvious such as trade, investments, power engineering and tourism.
Alexander Lukashenko noted, Belarus expects a positive dialogue with Poland. “The problems observed in relations between the two countries can definitely be resolved through a positive dialogue. It is a dialogue based on principles of mutual respect and equal rights, non-interference in domestic affairs,” stressed Alexander Lukashenko. The President added, it is Poland that the cooperation between the two countries will depend on. He also remarked, the bilateral relations should correspond to the degree of trust the two nations show.
Alexander Lukashenko expressed hope, efforts of the new head of the Polish diplomatic mission to Belarus will allow determining ways of rapprochement for the sake of productive collaboration.
The President of Belarus expressed interest in more vigorous promotion of relations between Belarus and Norway in political, economic, investment, scientific and technical, and humanitarian fields.
According to the President, power engineering, information technologies, and manufacturing cooperation are promising areas of partnership between the two countries. Alexander Lukashenko underscored, Belarus would be glad to see representatives of Norwegian business circles and expects contacts to develop in all fields.
Belarus attaches the extension of mutually beneficial trade and economic relations and the establishment of a full-scale political dialogue to the accreditation of the Ambassador of Albania to Belarus, stressed the President. According to Alexander Lukashenko, the two countries have the necessary potential for that as the experience of recent years shows.
Cooperation with Qatar is of great interest for Belarus, remarked Alexander Lukashenko as he received credentials from the Ambassador of Qatar.
“Asian and African countries have traditionally been among prospective avenues of Belarus’ foreign policy,” said the President. “Qatar is of special interest to Belarus, as it takes an active stance in the international arena and plays an essential role in ensuring the international energy security,” underlined Alexander Lukashenko. According to the President, Belarus and Qatar should work on filling the economic component of the bilateral cooperation with concrete achievements. Alexander Lukashenko believes, the two countries have serious prospects for investment cooperation.
Receiving letters of credence from Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Tanzania to Russia and Belarus (on concurrent) Patrick Segeja Chokala, Alexander Lukashenko noted that Belarus is only starting building its relations with Tanzania. “Our country is interested in stepping up contacts with Tanzania in all areas, first of all, trade and economic relations,” added the Belarusian head of state. In turn, the Tanzanian Ambassador confirmed his country’s interest in purchasing more Belarusian machines and in collaboration in education.
Welcoming the Ambassador of Myanmar, the President said Belarus hopes to concretise the cooperation between the two countries.
The head of state believes, the potential for developing trade and economic links between Belarus and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is far from being exhausted, which is why the two countries should work together in this area. Meanwhile, the President remarked, Belarus and the DPRK have similar views on key issues relating to the world order and international relations.
The President underscored, the Latin-American vector of Belarus’ foreign policy had acquired an independent and quite serious value. “Belarus has no ideological, political or other disagreements with countries in this region,” remarked Alexander Lukashenko. The aspiration for a balanced and multipolar world order remains an essential converging factor, believes the head of state.
Belarus hopes to promote an interstate dialogue with Columbia, strengthen cooperation in all areas, share practices used to fight organised crime, illegal migration and slave trade, underlined Alexander Lukashenko. Recent years have seen a significant increase in political contacts and collaboration between Belarus and Columbia in the United Nations Organisation and the Non-Aligned Movement.
Alexander Lukashenko wished every success to the diplomats in their complicated and responsible work and expressed hope that efforts of each diplomat will result in tangible benefits for the nations and will genuinely serve the purpose of reinforcing the fair, stable and safe world.
