Opinions & Interviews

Lavrov: Russia, Belarus are equally interested in strengthening relations

MINSK, 26 November (BelTA) – Belarus and Russia are equally interested in strengthening relations, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov said at a meeting with Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko in Minsk on 26 November, BelTA has learned.

"First of all, I would like to convey you the best wishes from Vladimir Vladimirovich [Putin]. He has confirmed everything you had agreed with him before, especially in Sochi. Russia and Belarus are equally interested in strengthening relations. We can call it in different ways but we have the same goal: to move towards the mutual benefits for our peoples, the countries and the Union State," Sergey Lavrov said.

The head of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled that earlier the Belarusian head of state put forward several initiatives. According to the minister, they are very important for the Belarusian society. "As President Putin has repeatedly stressed, we are interested to see these initiatives get through. If we can do something to support them, we are always open for this," Sergey Lavrov added.

Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov is on a working visit to Minsk. His meeting with Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei has already taken place. The collegiums of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and Russia will hold a joint meeting. “The main task is to secure concrete agreements regarding the effective implementation of our joint program of concerted actions in the field of foreign policy," the diplomat said.

The parties will also discuss the coordination of actions in international organizations, cooperation in the EAEU, the CSTO and the CIS. The diplomats will also exchange views on relations with the EU, the possibility of the CSTO's participation in UN peacekeeping operations, the prospects for forming a large Eurasian partnership through the alignment of the integration processes and cooperation in the field of international information security.

Following the meeting, the parties are set to sign joint documents, including the plan of ministerial consultations for 2021 and a document of the collegiums on the agreements reached following the discussion of the issues.

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