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Main priority in Belarus’ foreign policy outlined

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MINSK, 22 February (BelTA) - Export remains an absolute priority in the work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said at a meeting of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs collegium, BelTA reports.

"Export remains the unconditional priority. This year will be even more intense for all of us. We need not only to survive in these conditions, but also to add 5.5% in the export of goods and services. It is extremely important to ensure an increase in physical volumes," the prime minister said.

The number one partner for Belarus is Russia, Roman Golovchenko emphasized. In 2022, Belarus secured a certain increase in physical volumes of export, including trucks, televisions, metal structures, petroleum products, tires.

"But this is not a reason to relax our guards. We need to participate in Russian federal and regional programs, expand industrial cooperation and set up joint ventures, without waiting until the Russian side sets up these ventures with other partners. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should not be an outside observer in matters of the Union State integration with Russia. The Russian side links a number of arrangements with the implementation of the 28 Union State programs, so the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should take an active part in this process," the head of government demanded.

The Eurasian Economic Union remains a significant area of work. Roman Golovchenko urged to use all platforms of the EAEU to promote interaction with partners in Eurasian integration, strengthen foreign economic and cooperation ties with them.

"Advancing cooperation with the countries of the far arc will remain one of the main areas of work for the Belarusian diplomacy in the future. Highest-level and high-level visits to these countries should become regular and should be filled with real projects. On the multilateral track, efforts should be concentrated on the accelerated accession of Belarus to the SCO, as instructed by the head of state. We need to develop effective (with real economic effect) interaction between Belarus and BRICS," the prime minister said.

Roman Golovchenko noted he has no remarks in general to the information work carried out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the same time he urged the embassies to step up work on this front. "They, as before, lack activity and initiative: some still focus on relaying the messages from the capital. Use all available channels, bilateral contacts and international organizations to clearly convey our position on the international agenda," the head of government said.

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