Events

8 Apr 2019

Belarus president gives interview to Turkish news agency

MINSK, 8 April (BelTA) – Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko granted an interview to Turkey’s largest news agency Anadolu on 8 April, BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko was asked about ten questions. The interviewer asked the president about his views on growing tensions in the region and the world and the resulting peculiarities of Belarus’ foreign policy, the country’s contribution to efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. The head of state talked about Belarus’ approaches to international relations and spoke his mind about the presidential election in Ukraine.

Belarusian-Turkish relations were mentioned. Aleksandr Lukashenko revealed some details of his forthcoming visit to Turkey, evaluated prospects of bilateral cooperation, and spoke about personal relations with Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The interview was arranged in anticipation of Aleksandr Lukashenko’s forthcoming visit to Turkey, which is scheduled to take place in mid-April. Aleksandr Lukashenko was interviewed by Ali Cura, chief of the Moscow bureau of the Turkish news agency. By the way, it was not the first time the Turkish reporter had come to Belarus: he was a student in the Minsk State Linguistic University in 2007-2009.

After talking to the head of state Ali Cura admitted to Belarusian reporters he had dreamed about taking an interview from the Belarus president 13 years before. According to Ali Cura, his conversation with Aleksandr Lukashenko resembled a conversation of people, who are close to each other, people, who know each other well. “Such feelings are a very big plus for reporters,” Ali Cura said.

Ali Cura believes that thanks to the interview the stance of Belarus and its leader will be reflected in Turkish mass media without distortion. “We try to show genuine Belarus,” the reporter noted. In his opinion, Belarus and Turkey have good prospects for advancing relations, for instance, in the manufacturing sector.

The news agency Anadolu was established in 1920. It offers news in ten languages in 45 countries. The agency has representative offices in more than 35 countries. It publishes over 4,000 news articles, photos, and videos every day. Anadolu cooperates with the French news agency AFP. Anadolu has been BelTA’s partner since 2016.

In 2018 Belarus-Turkey trade reached $984 million, nearly 105% as against 2017. However, Belarus had a trade deficit of $618 million.

Belarus’ main exports are potash fertilizers, compounds containing a functional nitrile group, synthetic yarn, linen fabrics, polycarboxylic acids, synthetic unkempt fibers, unalloyed steel wire, fuelwood, and newsprint. Turkey sells to Belarus such products as agricultural products, knitted cloth and fabrics, synthetic threads, clothing and footwear, parts and accessories for automobiles and tractors.

In 2018 Turkish investments in the Belarusian economy totaled $43.1 million. Belarus is home to over 300 companies with a share of Turkish capital. The countries are working to set up enterprises to assemble Gomselmash harvesters and MTZ tractors in Turkey. Deliveries of BelAZ trucks and Amkodor machines to the Turkish market are being negotiated.