Events

MINSK, 8 September (BelTA) – Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has granted an interview for a documentary about Boris Yeltsin, the press service of the Belarusian leader told BelTA.

The B.N. Yeltsin President Center is producing the documentary. A museum of Russia’s first president and an archive to his name are being created under the aegis of the organization. Books dedicated to Boris Yeltsin, his photos, documents, personal belongings and other exhibits are on display. The museum will use computer technologies. It will also demonstrate recollections and first-hand reports about the work of the first president of Russia.

As part of the interview the Belarusian head of state shared his personal memories about his meetings with Boris Yeltsin, in particular, the very first one. According to Alexander Lukashenko, he was greatly impressed by Boris Yeltsin’s stance during the first presidential election in Belarus. “Our small group that went for the presidential seat wanted our country to develop in a manner different to what we had back then: empty shop shelves, lack of food in Belarus, regular strikes, demonstrations, brawling,” reminded Alexander Lukashenko. “The election came and went. The candidate representing Russia did not win but a totally unknown person did.”

The Belarus President noted that he still remembers Boris Yeltsin standing half-turned to him and his intense look studying the first president of Belarus and the silence at the beginning of their first meeting. “I don’t know why but I told him: Boris Nikolayevich, if you think that I came to Russia as a foreigner, you are mistaken. If you think that Moscow is yours alone, you are mistaken as well. It is also my Russia and my Moscow because yesterday it was the capital of my country, too. Don’t blame me for our meeting as presidents today,” said Alexander Lukashenko. Later on relations between the two leaders evolved into warm friendship.

The Belarusian leader also answered questions concerning Boris Yeltsin’s actions with regard to political and social events of the 1990s. Alexander Lukashenko also mentioned several facts concerning the creation of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, the project that was initially envisaged by the presidents of Belarus and Russia.