Opinions & Interviews

Number of Belarus-China sci-tech projects up 30% over two years
“Sci-tech cooperation is one of the promising areas of interaction between Belarus and China. The implementation of joint projects will help the two countries set up new high-technology enterprises in the future”...

UN official welcomes Belarus’ comprehensive approach to preventing child abuse
“It is very important for us to ensure comprehensive protection of children from violence. Not only response to child abuse, but also prevention of child maltreatment is needed. We see that this work is arranged in a proper way in Belarus”...

Belarus president happy to wear domestic footwear brand
"Even when I meet with other heads of state – they flaunt Italian brands and some other ones, [Nursultan] Nazarbayev asked me once where I had got my shoes. I told him: ‘In Belarus’. He said it can’t be right. I took the shoes off and showed him the Marko label then"...

Belarus wants to team up with UN to protect children from cybercrime
Vladimir Makei informed the special representative about Belarus’ priorities in protecting children and Belarus’ initiatives at the UN to combat violence...

Belarus wants section on investments included in CIS free trade in services agreement
“Unfortunately, I must say that the work at the expert level has been virtually deadlocked due to disagreements about the appropriateness of including the section on investments into the draft free trade in serviced agreement”...

Lukashenko welcomes participants of Minsk International Film Festival Listapad
"I am convinced that this year Listapad will give us an opportunity to enjoy the diversity of modern cinematography, much-anticipated premieres, meetings with outstanding filmmakers and rising stars and will become a real fest for those who make, watch and love cinema"...

Belarus to adjust national defense plan in 2019
"The next year will be momentous for military planning. We will have to adjust the national defense plan for 2020-2024. It will be approved by the head of state in late 2019"...

FM: Minsk will make every effort to help with Ukraine settlement
"But actually it does not matter where it happens. It can be any place, even Antarctica. But it is important to have a clear understanding that there is a political will to resolve the conflict on the part of all parties involved"...

Armenian president: Minsk is becoming a brand associated with stability and peace
The Armenian president reminded that the OSCE group on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is called the Minsk Group. He said he hopes that one day that conflict would be finally resolved and the necessary papers would be signed in the Belarusian capital city...

Sarkissian: Belarus-Armenia trade can rise manifold
“We have great potential in many areas. Bilateral trade can expand manifold,” Armen Sarkissian said...

Filip: Belarus-Moldova cooperation based on concrete action
As an example, he cited the recent launch of direct flight between the capitals of the two countries. Moldova’s prime minister was one of its first passengers. "I am absolutely sure that it will be in demand"...

Belarus-Slovakia cooperation hailed as constructive, successful
Vladimir Makei stressed that meetings with the Slovak counterpart are frequent and regular at various international venues. He also drew attention to the importance of the events celebrated in Slovakia to mark the country's independence...

Makei: Belarus, Poland need to do much to reach a new level in cooperation
The Belarusian minister of foreign affairs stressed that the development of cooperation with Poland has always been a priority for Belarus, and that the country will remain a reliable partner for Poland...

Poland emphasizes Belarus’ role in international relations
“I have come to participate in the Munich Security Conference Core Group Meeting in Minsk because we recognize the role of Belarus in international relations,” said the head of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He invited Vladimir Makei to visit Warsaw...

MSC chairman impressed with Belarus president’s stance on situation in Ukraine
"I hope that interesting proposals which the president put forward, including the mission in the east of Ukraine, will be taken into account. I was most impressed by Belarus’ readiness to provide its resources for such a mission in eastern Ukraine"...

Serbian prime minister invites Belarus president to visit Belgrade
The Serbian head of government said: “You would do us a great honor if you visited our country.” She stressed that the Serbian president treats Alexander Lukashenko with great respect...

Belarus president compares cyberterrorism to nuclear weapons
The head of state reminded that an international high-level conference on fighting terrorism in the digital age had taken place in Minsk under the OSCE aegis three weeks before. Participants of the conference agreed that only through unity one can successfully counteract cyberterrorism and other modern challenges and threats...

Lukashenko gives his take on democracy, human rights
He recalled that the mature European democracy needed centuries to take shape, while they want Belarus and other post-Soviet states to make a breakthrough within several decades. "If we do it in fits and starts, through coercion, the result will not be sustainable"...

OSCE: Minsk hosts timely discussions about topical regional issues
The OSCE secretary general described the conference in Minsk as a success. In his words, a very interesting exchange of opinions between Serbia and Kosovo took place on the sidelines of the meeting...

Belarus president views Eastern Europe as transboundary belt of stability, cooperation
“We don’t want to land on a new civilizational fissure line, at the spearhead of political standoff between the East and the West"...