BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

30/03/2010

Belarusian president seeks closer ties with USA, hails Obama

Excerpt from report by Belarusian state-owned broadcaster First TV Channel, on 29 March

[Presenter] Belarus is ready to leave all offences in the past and start fruitful corporation with the USA - not only in the economic sphere but also in other areas, [President] Alyaksandr Lukashenka said today at a meeting with the top managers of several big US companies. Inha Khrushchova listened to what else the Belarusian president and the US businessmen discussed.

[Correspondent] Such a meeting was impossible a few years ago, under [President George] Bush Jr. However, today more than a dozen respectable American businessmen are conversing quietly with that very Lukashenka, sitting at one table and saying that they are opening a new page in Belarus-USA relations. Special hopes are being pinned on the new US administration. Minsk finds [President Barack] Obama's foreign policy convictions easier to understand.

[Lukashenka] I am inclined to think that President Obama's outlook on the world is more appropriate and democratic, and not burdened with the remnants of the Cold War and aggressive ideological approaches to the resolution of international issues. We really appreciate his statement made at the UN rostrum. We can no longer let ourselves contribute to our differences, he said. We should enter a new epoch of relations based on mutual interests and mutual respect.

We have already begun cautious dialogue with the current administration and we are ready to extend a hand of friendship to the US partners.

[Correspondent] In the past decade, there has been no news about Minsk's friendship with Washington, but everything happens for the first time one day. Big US businessmen have for the first time expressed interest in Belarus, and Alyaksandr Lukashenka is convinced that business can normalize politics.

[Lukashenka] I welcome the establishment of the Belarus-USA council for business cooperation and I wish it success. What is important today is your aspiration to work together with us in the sphere of foreign trade and investment, and to be a link between our nations.

[Correspondent] The head of state asked the businessmen to proceed from the fact that Belarus had not hit the bottom. Yes, the crisis has affected us, but the Belarusian economy is capable of feeding a population of 10m.

[Lukashenka] We do not jump at every proposal. We will consider each of your proposals in the most serious manner, but we will consider it very quickly, without any delays or corruption or criminality.

[Correspondent] The guests listened to Belarus's position carefully. The Americans understood well that they were discoverers. They know little about our market, so they only spoke about prospects.

[Passage omitted: One of the US businessmen says he is in Minsk to discuss economy, not politics.]

[Correspondent] It is naive to think that such big businessmen travelled across the ocean to go on a sightseeing tour of Minsk and say general phrases. Time is money, so some know well what they want.

[Passage omitted: Another US businessman says he is interested in pharmaceutical cooperation.]

[Correspondent] As joint projects in pharmaceutics and cosmetology are still being discussed, Belarusians have always excelled in information technologies. When the hi tech park started operating, their fame became boundless.

[Passage omitted: Another US businessman praises Belarusian IT specialists.]

[Correspondent] The biggest achievement of the market is competition, the Belarusian president concluded. He added that the Belarusian authorities guaranteed that US business would enjoy maximum support, favourable working conditions and promptness.

Originally published by Belarusian television, Minsk, in Russian 1800 29 Mar 10.

Source:

http://www.powergenworldwide.com/index/display/wire-news-display/143121225.html


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