Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 5 October (BelTA) – Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro hopes for a restart of the Belarusian-Venezuela agreements in various sectors. He made the statement at the expanded-participation meeting with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on 5 October, BelTA has learned.

The Venezuelan leader stressed that he and his delegation feel in Belarus at home as they have come to visit their true friends. “We embarked on this path together with our Comandante Hugo Chavez. He called it a path to a new world, a path for those who want peace and cooperation,” he noted.

Nicolas Maduro said that different areas of cooperation were discussed at the meeting with the Belarusian president. “We are not starting it [cooperation] from scratch. We are entering a new stage. We have strong trust in each other in all the areas, including in food production, agriculture, industry, trade and housing construction,” the Venezuelan president said.

The Venezuelan leader stated that his country has recently been through quite a difficult period of time. He said that today Venezuela is ready for recovery and economic growth. “Today is the key moment for us to launch our projects and efforts aimed at concrete spheres, including the politics and diplomacy, and also economy, manufacturing, and petroleum industry,” Nicolas Maduro said.

“This visit should add impetus to the new stage in order to develop real economy in Belarus and Venezuela,” the Venezuelan president said.

In his statement after the talks, the Venezuelan leader thanked Belarus for its cooperation and solidarity as Venezuela counteracts the outside pressure.

He said that with the implementation of the new plan to restore growth and development of the real economic sector, Venezuela hopes for Belarus' help and support. “To implement this, we rely on Belarus and invite it for cooperation. We know very well the working capacity, iron will and discipline the Belarusians have,” said Nicolas Maduro.

“I think that the decision to enter a new stage of cooperation in the area of energy, finance, industry, agriculture, construction and mechanical engineering, relying on the success we have already achieved, is the best solution for us,” the president of Venezuela said.

“I am happy because I know that Alexander Lukashenko, the government and people of Belarus are sincere and true friends of Venezuela. There are no difficulties when friends unite their efforts,” Nicolas Maduro said.