BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

22/05/2007

Lukashenko thanks Iran leader for understanding of energy problems

"We are satisfied with the results of the talks and reached accords. We have achieved the goals that we set before ourselves," he said, commenting on results of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's two-day official visit to Minsk.

Lukashenko thanked the Iranian leader for "understanding of problems that exist in Belarus, first of all in the energy sector."

He stressed the "greatest dependence of Belarus on one state in supplies of energy resources."

"We say this honestly, and we asked the Iranian side to solve this problem," Lukashenko said.

He cited the Iranian leader as saying: "Come, extract oil and gas".

"Yes, diversification of our trade and our exports is a problem for us. In this respect we depend on Russia and the European Union," Lukashenko said.

He said Belarus had got the Iranian president's assurances that Iran would buy Belarusian goods at reasonable prices.

Belarus and Iran have abolished all hindrances in mutual trade, Lukashenko said.

"We oriented ourselves to guarantees of first-class European banks, that is, we worked through intermediaries. For optimization of financial settlements between the countries a decision has been made that the Iranian Bank will open its office in Belarus. A bank with one hundred percent Iranian capital will also open in our country. Thus, the sides have approached direct financial settlements, and this will solve the problems of diversifying Belarusian exports," Lukashenko said/

He bluntly disagreed that Belarus and Iran are rogue countries.

"However we be called, we are absolutely satisfied with the accords, and we have reached the set goals," Lukashenko said.

Source:

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=11553404&PageNum=0