Lukashenko on foreign visits: we do not need tours, we need solutions to specific issues

A meeting convened today by the Head of State at the Palace of Independence was devoted to the results of the recent foreign visits by President Aleksandr Lukashenko and Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko. The President pointed out that these trips essentially show the vector that is conventionally called the far arc.

“I think that people and you should not have any questions today about what the far arc is. Taking into account the business trip of the government delegation through Uzbekistan to Vietnam and my business trip, we have really drawn this, figuratively speaking, far arc along which we should work.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that this is a vast area from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic, across the Indian Ocean. At the same time, close countries should also not fall out of the sphere of attention. The Head of State stressed, “The circle of our close neighbours and partners includes the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Russia and the People's Republic of China are the two states with which we enjoy the most advanced relations, this is a separate point. You know that the relevant decisions of the President have been adopted and are being implemented separately for these states. As regards the far arc, it has been outlined.”

At the same time, the President pointed out to a special issue, “We cannot come to a fundamental decision on it in any way: this is our work with India. Some time ago, the former Foreign Minister began to deal with this issue in principle, and I think the present Foreign Minister will voice his proposals in the near future – not later than Q1 2024. I am speaking of a plan of work with India – similar to the one we used in our liaisons with Africa and Equatorial Guinea. We do not need tourist trips, we need solutions to specific issues.”

Summarising the results of his visits to the African continent, Aleksandr Lukashenko explained why he invited the deputy prime ministers – who had not been much immersed in the process of preparing those trips – to the meeting, “I have invited you so that you take the results of these business trips under special control.”

The Head of State drew attention to the fact that the work was going on in a new way with Equatorial Guinea. “Everything was under my strict control. The Foreign Minister visited the country and established contacts with it. Then the specialists worked, and the ministers, having visited this country on the eve of my arrival, worked out the main directions (there are 15 of them) of our interaction with Equatorial Guinea, in addition to 74 specific projects that we agreed to implement together with our friends in Equatorial Guinea. They need to be implemented. I just categorically insist on this and warn you,” Aleksandr Lukashenko addressed those present. He instructed the Presidential Aide, Aleksandr Kosinets, and the Special Envoy of the President, Viktor Sheiman, to take the implementation of the work with Equatorial Guinea and Kenya under control at the President Administration.

“Mark for yourself at your high level and take control, study all these issues. If necessary, you will be informed. In any case, this should be under control here, at the President Administration. It should not happen as it is observed sometimes when we make a revision of our relations with certain states, excluding or adding something. We have agreed, and we need to implement these projects,” the Head of State said.

The President pointed out a fundamental point, “I frankly stressed there [during the visits in Africa] that this is not a charity. We are not China with a huge amount of reserves, we are not America that prints money, and we are not even Russia. We must negotiate and work exclusively in good faith for money. There are very good prospects there. Everything we know how to do is needed there.”

Summing up the results of his visit to Kenya, the President reminded Viktor Sheiman of his assignment to deal with Africa, “You started there, you are responsible for it. As for Kenya, it should be under the control of you as the President’s Special Envoy. You know the issues which the President of Kenya asked us to help them with. These are three global issues that are beneficial to us, and others. Therefore, Africa and Kenya, separately, are your area of responsibility.”

photos: www.president.gov.by