Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 23 January (BelTA) – During its presidency in the Council of the European Union, Latvia will work on promoting the relations between Belarus and the European Union, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Latvia to Belarus Mikhail Popkovs told reporters at the press conference dedicated to Latvia’s presidency in the Council of the EU on 23 January, BelTA has learned.

“The good neighborliness policy will be in the focus during Latvia’s presidency. We will commit ourselves to strengthening the relations between Belarus and the European Union. Besides, we will also promote cooperation with Asian countries,” Mikhail Popkovs said.

Latvia’s Foreign Ministry State Secretary Andrejs Pildegovics noted that the Belarus-EU relations should make as much progress as the relations between Belarus and Latvia.

It was reported earlier that Belarus' Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei met with Latvia’s Foreign Ministry State Secretary Andrejs Pildegovics in Minsk on 22 January. During the meeting the parties discussed the prospects of the bilateral political dialogue, ways to ramp up trade and economic cooperation and to expand regional ties, as well as the state and prospects of the relations between Belarus and the European Union, including within the framework of the preparations for the Riga summit of the Eastern Partnership Initiative.