Opinions & Interviews

FM: Belarus rejects sanctions, blackmail

MINSK, 14 January (BelTA) – Belarus absolutely rejects a policy of sanctions and blackmail, Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei told reporters following his meeting with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto on 14 January, BelTA has learned.

The journalists asked about prospects of full-fledged cooperation between the European Union and Belarus. Although the year 2018 saw a record number of contacts with governments of the EU member states and the EU organizations, some EU sanctions on Belarus remains in place. Vladimir Makei believes that the quantity should transform into quality. “In recent years we have been gradually re-engaging with the European Union. It is very important that both parties have come to understand that it is necessary to expand cooperation between Belarus and the European Union. This helps build a good foundation for further action,” Vladimir Makei said. To illustrate his point, the Belarusian foreign minister recalled cooperation in the financial sector. “We are grateful to our European partners for their willingness to promote these contacts, because they are very important for us. We have been actively implementing programs with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank recently,” he noted. The EBRD operations in Belarus were estimated at a record high of €326 million over 11 months in 2018.

Vladimir Makei welcomed the increasing interest of western companies in Belarus. In January-November 2018 the bilateral trade approached $16 billion, up over 20% year-on-year. Belarus’ export to the EU amounted to $9.5 billion, up 37% over the same period in 2017. The EU accounted for 31% of Belarus’ export, while a year before the figure stood at 26%. At the same time, Russia’s share was estimated at 38% (45% in January-November in 2017).

According to the minister, Belarus has made some progress in diversifying its exports, which is proved by the abovementioned statistics. Vladimir Makei recalled that a task was set to re-distribute Belarus’ export so that a third of it will go to the EAEU, a third to the EU and the remaining part to third countries. “We are working on it. I am convinced that we will be able to fulfill this task provided our European partners remain on the same page with us,” Vladimir Makei said.  

Commenting on the sanctions, the foreign minister noted that every country has its problems. “However, this does not mean that these problems should be addressed by blackmail or pressure on this country. We totally condemn it. The society should get ready for certain changes needed to turn the country into a truly democratic state. This is our vision. We need to tread cautiously with a clear understanding how these tasks should be addressed. However, we strongly believe that blackmail, coercion and sanctions will only damage the further rapprochement between Belarus and the European Union. In February this year the EU will resume discussion of the remaining sanctions on Belarus. We hope that common sense will prevail and this throwback to the old days will be removed from our agenda,” Vladimir Makei said.

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