Lukashenko outlined priorities of co-operation with Vietnam, trade and tourism are among them
Belarus is interested in further development of relations with Vietnam – as stated by President Aleksandr Lukashenko during his today’s talks with Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Pham Minh Chin on the side-lines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan
The Head of State conveyed his warmest congratulations to the new President of Vietnam, Luong Cyong, on his election victory, and also noted that Belarusians are always watching the development of this country with interest. The Belarusian leader also announced that a Defence Ministry delegation will be sent to Vietnam in the near future.
Touching upon the prospects of bilateral relations, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that both countries actively co-operate on international platforms, “We have practically no problems, we mutually support each other. We will continue to work in this regard.”
According to the President, the trade and economic liaisons are developing at a high level: the trade turnover has reached $250m. At the same time, he pointed to a problem in mutual settlements, “Of course, we do not want Vietnam to fall under any sanctions because of us, though we understand that Vietnam is not so easy to punish: it is a very strong, powerful and confident country. Mr. Prime Minister, there are no unresolved issues. All issues can be resolved if there is a desire.”
In this regard, Aleksandr Lukashenko expressed hope that acceptable solutions will be found during a visit to Vietnam by the Head of the National Bank of Belarus, Pavel Kallaur.
The Head of State also focused on specific areas that could be beneficial for both countries. Regarding co-operation, he proposed joint projects dealing with the machinery production, “We can start with the assembly. Why not co-operate in this regard? It benefits you, it benefits us, and it benefits the countries which will further import this equipment. Moreover, Vietnam itself is in need, especially of agricultural trucks.”
The Belarusian leader recalled that he had once very persistently suggested to the former leaders to establish joint ventures in Vietnam and produce Belarusian equipment – ‘to further trade in the APEC market’.
Tourism is another topic for the development of co-operation. According to the President, Vietnam is very interesting for Belarusians, and therefore the republic would appreciate cancelling visas for its citizens and the launch of direct flights between the countries. “We do not require visas from Vietnamese when they come to Belarus. We have no problems with them, they are very decent people. I guarantee you that you will not have any problems with our citizens in Vietnam either. Our aircraft – Vietnamese and Belarusian – should definitely connect Minsk and Hanoi, as well as other cities,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.
The Head of State suggested that the foreign ministers of Belarus and Vietnam should think about and propose an action plan to resolve the issues that are currently present in relations between the two countries, and create a roadmap.
