MINSK - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has denied a pro-Western trend in the foreign policy of his country lately alleged in Russia.
“Both some liberals in Russia and part of the national administration have been wondering: okay, we will close the eyes for now, for the presidential elections’ period, but Belarus seems to have taken a course towards the West. It is possible that someone has gone crazy and taken a course, but the president has taken none,” Lukashenko said in his address to the people of Belarus and the National Assembly in Minsk on April 29.
He refuted the allegation of a pro-Western course of Belarusian diplomats as unfounded but said that the Belarusian administration was entitled to have an opinion of its own.
“Forget it, dear Russians and the Russian administration! We are your brothers. But allow us to have our own opinion on this world,” Lukashenko said.
The West is aware that Belarus will always be by Russia’s side in complicated situations, the president said. “Both the European Union and the United States understand me when I tell them they should know that, God forbid, something happens, we will stay side-by-side with Russia,” Lukashenko said.
He added that he was proud of cooperation with powerful countries.
“We are proud of having perfect relations with such giants as Russia, China and India and establishing a relationship with the EU,” he said.
Belarus is interested in reaching a new level in relations with the European Union. “Against the backdrop of complicated political relations, the EU remains a major partner of Belarus and a source of loans and investment,” the president said.
In his words, Belarus is sort of a corridor between the East and the West.
“A path has emerged towards normalizing relations with the United States. Hopefully, the United States will be determined to alleviate the tensions,” the president stressed.
