Opinions & Interviews

Kurz welcomes Belarus’ peace efforts

MINSK, 29 March (BelTA) – Belarus plays an important role in building peace in the region, Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria Sebastian Kurz said following his talks with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on 29 March, BelTA has learned.

 “We have discussed political cooperation in the region. I want to thank you for the role you play in restoring peace in the region. We discussed the Ukrainian conflict among other things. The Minsk agreements that were reached here and your efforts to facilitate the work of the contact group make a significant contribution to promoting stability in the region,” the federal chancellor underlined.

Sebastian Kurz emphasized that Austria’s long-term vision relies on the win-win approach, rather than taking sides. “We would like the countries of your region to get closer to the European Union without severing their historical ties with Russia. We believe that it is the only way to bring about positive changes,” he said.

The federal chancellor expressed appreciation for promoting economic relations between Belarus and Austria. He pointed to active cooperation in investment. Sebastian Kurz emphasized that the bilateral cooperation relies on a solid foundation, which is political, human and historical contacts.

“I would like to reiterate the need to expand our partnerships, not only in the bilateral format, but also between the EU and Belarus and between the EU and the entire region,” Sebastian Kurz said.

He added that during the talks in Minsk the parties discussed not only economic and political matters, but also the rule of law, democracy, and human rights. “This dialogue is important for us,” the federal chancellor said.

Sebastian Kurz expressed his gratitude for erecting the monument in the Trostenets Memorial Complex to commemorate 10,000 Austrian Jews killed by the Nazis.

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