Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 19 November (BelTA) – Azerbaijan has always been a reliable strategic partner for Belarus and will remain so, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said at the meeting with his Azerbaijan counterpart Ilham Aliyev in Minsk on 19 November, BelTA has learned.

“Azerbaijan has always been a reliable strategic partner for us and will remain so. We highly value our friendship and are ready to assist the promotion of Azerbaijan’s interests in the center of Europe,” the Belarusian leader said.

Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that there are no closed  issues in the bilateral relations. “We have never cooperated against third countries. We do our utmost for the benefit of our peoples. There have never been closed issues in our cooperation. We are sincere and open to the whole world,” the president said.

The head of state noted that over a quarter of a century since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the dialogue between the countries has acquired a strategic character. “High level of interstate trust is not accidental. It is based on long-standing traditions of friendship between the Belarusian and Azerbaijani peoples. This enables us to discuss even the most complex issues in a constructive atmosphere,” the Belarusian leader said.

Belarus seeks systemic and long-term cooperation in trade and economic areas, Alexander Lukashenko said. “The trade with Azerbaijan has been gaining positive dynamics recently. Yet it is still far from being optimal. This is what we talked about a lot today. We see the potential for increasing it,” he concluded.