Belarus will continue an intensive dialogue with Russia to solve the problems of the Customs Union. This was stated by President Alexander Lukashenko in an interview with the editor of the Russian magazine "Svobodnaya Mysl" Vladislav Inozemtsev. "There's hope for the prospects of the Customs Union," he said.
«We are determined to continue an intensive dialogue with our partners, primarily with Russia, to address existing problems. The outcome of the Union’s establishment, as well as the way we could overcome the difficulties, arising on this path, will determine its attractiveness to other countries. What’s going to turn out? Let’s wait and see,» the President said, BelTA informs.
Talking about the future of the CIS and the Union State of Russia and Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko said that Belarus hadn’t changed its motives for building relations with Russia. «The integration makes us expect mutual benefit and mutual respect to both fraternal peoples, sovereignty and national interests of our states. And then you can be sure to have the most reliable partner and faithful friend like Belarus and Belarusians,» the president said.
At the same time Alexander Lukashenko stated the importance of relations with the European Union, which, he says, is the second largest trading partner after Russia, the source of advanced technologies and standards, a supplier of high-precision modern equipment. «This is our strategic partner in the fight against new challenges and threats, transboundary in nature, as well as against illegal migration, human trafficking, drug and weapons smuggling, international terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,» Alexander Lukashenko said.
By God’s will, Belarus is a bridge between East and West. Therefore, even the geographic location predetermined multidirectional and open character of our foreign policy and economy,» the President stated.
