Events

LJUBLJANA, 6 July (BelTA) – Belarus and Slovenia confirmed the interest in stepping up dialogue. The statement was made at the negotiations between Belarus’ Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alena Kupchyna and State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia Dragoljuba Bencina in Ljubljana on 6 July, BelTA has learned.

The sides expressed interest in the development of relations, promotion of the dialogue between the ministries of foreign affairs which has been increasingly vibrant for the past five years. In particular, the talks focused on the need to hold ministerial consolations at various levels.

After the talks Alena Kupchyna told BelTA that the sides discussed other important topics on the Belarusian-Slovenian cooperation agenda. The deputy minister of foreign affairs invited Dragoljuba Bencina to visit Minsk to discuss these issues in detail. The meeting also focused on the organization of the visit of Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Karl Erjavec to Belarus which is expected to enhance bilateral cooperation.

The participants of the meeting also discussed the preparation for the next session of the Belarusian-Slovenian intergovernmental commission which is expected to take place in Minsk in September. Alena Kupchyna will be the co-chairperson of the council on Belarus’ behalf. Regular sessions have been held since 2011 and are very productive. Trade and economic cooperation of Belarus and Slovenia is increasingly vibrant.

Apart from that, the sides discussed humanitarian contacts. In particular, the Slovenian side confirmed readiness to recuperate a group of children from Chernobyl-affected regions of Belarus’ Mogilev Oblast in summer.

“Slovenia is a friendly country for Belarus which is interested in bolstering bilateral contacts,” Alena Kupchyna believes. In her opinion, the economic and humanitarian cooperation, Belarus-EU relations have good prospects.

“Slovenia has a balanced and constructive position towards Belarus, it appreciates Belarus’ contribution to the regional security,” Belarus’ deputy minister of foreign affairs noted.