Events

MINSK, 27 April (BelTA) – Belarus hopes that Washington will abandon political inertia in respect of Belarus, Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei said in his article for the Belarusskaya Dumka magazine to mark 25 years of Belarus’ independent foreign policy, BelTA has learned.

“Our relations with the United States has been marked by positive dynamics recently. The sanctions against Belorusneft, Beltechexport, BelOMO have been lifted. The barriers for Belarusian Potash Company on the American market have been removed. Washington has canceled its previous advice to business and investors not to work with our country, supports Belarus' accession to the WTO, does not hinder the development of the ties between the regions. We traditionally cooperate in the field of nuclear and radiation safety, the protection of intellectual property rights,” the article reads.

The law enforcement agencies of the two states keep in contact, in particular in the fight against cybercrime. An agreement was reached to start the Belarusian-U.S. economic dialogue. Belarus’ recognition among the U.S. politicians, businessmen and ordinary citizens has increased. “All this inspires cautious optimism and gives hope that with the new U.S. administration we have an opportunity to start with a clean slate or at least to reset our relations. And, of course, we would very much like Washington to abandon political inertia in respect of our state,” the minister said.

The key task for the future is to continue developing the dialogue with the United States. It is of crucial importance, given the understanding that the United States de-facto remains a super power that plays an important role in determining the course of world events.

Vladimir Makei also touched upon Belarus’ cooperation with NATO. The minister mentioned the Partnership for Peace program which Belarus joined in 1995. Belarus cooperates with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the areas such as civil emergency planning, crisis response, military education, arms control, the fight against international terrorism and transnational organized crime, efforts to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction, preparation for peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, medical maintenance.

“Some of the steps that NATO has been recently making are viewed as inadmissible by Belarus. However, these challenges need a calm and well-thought response both as part of our commitments to our closest partners, proceeding from the real situation rather than artificially-modeled radical scenarios,” the minister stressed.