BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

11/10/2010

Lukashenko: Belarusian foreign policy is 'multi-vectored'

Interfax-Ukraine

Minsk, October 11 (Interfax) - Belarus has a multi-vector foreign policy due to its location between the East and the West, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview with the Chinese media.

"Our foreign policy is multi-vector. It's can't be otherwise. A centrally located state cannot be oriented only towards the North, South, East, or West. There needs to be multi-vector policy in various directions," he said.

"For this reason, we traditionally maintain and aim to maintain good relations with Russia and Russians," Lukashenko said.

"The CIS, including Russia, accounts for about half of our foreign trade turnover. The second half is our trade with other countries, including the EU. For this reason, we cannot help but build good relations," the president said.

"We have very close relations with the neighboring countries: the Baltics, Poland, and Ukraine. I have already mentioned Russia, which plays a special role in our international relations. Belarus, which is located at the center of Europe, should build its policy without inconveniencing other countries," Lukashenko said.

Lukashenko said the relations with Ukraine are developing dynamically. "Our peoples have very good relations. We have very good relations with the president of Ukraine. We are friends with the president of Ukraine. We have very good prospects and the trade turnover dynamics shows that," he said.

"Our relations with the Baltic states are not bad either, and the dynamics are very good. It is very good because they are members of the EU, and Belarus-EU relations could be better," Lukashenko said.

"I could say the same about America. We have contacts with the Americans and we are trying to find ways that we can follow to improve our relations, but the situation is not so problem-free here," Lukashenko said.

Source:

http://www.kyivpost.com/news/russia/detail/85806/


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