Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 24 May (BelTA) - Belarus attaches great importance to building up all-round relations with Ecuador, Belarus Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Evgeny Shestakov said at a reception held on 23 May to mark Ecuador’s national holiday, the 195^th anniversary of the Battle of Pichincha, BelTA has learned.

According to the deputy minister, Belarus supports the Ecuadorian government’s independent foreign and domestic political policy aimed at ensuring sustainable development of the social-oriented economy and the growth of people’s wellbeing.

“Similarity of Belarus and Ecuador positions on the key issues on the international agenda, complementarity of the economies, similar approaches to solving social and economic tasks are a guarantee that our joint efforts will be fruitful,” the deputy minister said. In his words, the two countries have recently entered a qualitatively new level of interstate cooperation, reached a trust-based political dialogue, developed a legal framework for gradual strengthening of relations in different areas. The countries have succeeded in developing cooperation in seismic exploration and oil extraction in Ecuador with the participation of Belorusneft, establishing direct contacts between ministries, companies, universities, strengthening interaction in the leading international organizations.

“We welcome the victory of Lenin Moreno at the recent presidential election in Ecuador. It is a prominent member of Alianza Pais, an active participant of the country's “citizens' revolution” project. We hope that Lenin Moreno’s activity at the post of the Ecuadorian head of state will lead to further strengthening of the dialogue at the supreme and high levels. As a result, the cooperation between the two countries will gain a status of strategic partnership and a new important impetus will be added to the bilateral cooperation in the economic, sci-tech and other sectors,” noted the deputy minister.

Belarus suggests a gradual shift from simple trade in ready-made goods to industrial cooperation, setting up of big joint factories with a view to exporting joint products to the markets of the South-African region and the common economic space of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia.

Evgeny Shestakov is confident that agreements can be reached at the interstate level on the implementation of large-scale joint economic projects as part of the national programs of Ecuador. Belarus is ready to provide assistance in establishing contacts between representatives of the Ecuadorian private economic sector and Belarusian economic entities.

“In this respect we attach great significance to the development of the Belarus-Ecuador Business Cooperation Council which can be joined by Belarusian and Ecuadorian private companies. The council can be autonomous or operate as part of the existing intergovernmental commission,” Evgeny Shestakov said.

There are also cooperation prospects in the area of science, IT, culture and education. The deputy minister emphasized the recent increase in the number of Ecuadorian students who receive education in the Belarusian institutions of higher education. An intergovernmental agreement on mutual recognition of education certificates and diplomas of higher education was signed on 22 May.

Evgeny Shestakov expressed confidence that with joint efforts of the two heads of state, the foreign political departments, the embassies of Ecuador and Belarus, and also scientists and businessmen the two countries would be able to reach even greater results in bilateral cooperation.