Opinions & Interviews

“Our countries enjoy truly friendly relations based on common interests, mutual respect and trust. It is no exaggeration to say that there are no unsettled issues in the bilateral agenda, which is quite unusual today amid constantly emerging conflicts and the building-up of geopolitical confrontation,” the deputy minister of foreign affairs said.

Oleg Kravchenko took note of the recent exchange of the letters of greetings between the presidents, and also the prime ministers, the parliamentary speakers and the ministers of foreign affairs of Belarus and Turkey on the occasion of the 25^th anniversary of diplomatic relations. The two countries reaffirmed mutual interest in continuing and expanding mutually beneficial partnership.

The deputy minister emphasized positive momentum and a high level of the bilateral dialogue. Contacts between the heads of state make the biggest contribution to the development of the dialogue between the two countries. As an example Oleg Kravchenko cited the official visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Belarus in November 2016, which can be by right named a historic one. The meeting between the presidents of Belarus and Turkey during the summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Istanbul in April 2016 was of high importance as well. The Belarusian president attended the summit as a guest of honor.

Ministerial and inter-parliamentary contacts, business events have become traditional for the two states. The countries have been also steadily developing interregional cooperation and interaction in the cultural and scientific sectors.

“Similar viewpoints of Belarus and Turkey on the key issues of the international agenda have helped our countries establish efficient cooperation within international organizations, and, first of all, in the UN. Special attention is attached to the development of the Belarusian-Turkish relations in the trade, economic and investment area. Thank to joint efforts of the two countries the mutual trade has gone up more than five times in the last 10 years. The bilateral trade exceeded $800 million in 2016,” the deputy minister said.

Oleg Kravchenko emphasized the successful operation of the Belarusian-Turkish joint intergovernmental economic commission. The commission is gearing up for its next meeting which will be preceded by a number of significant economic events.

An active position of the business communities of Belarus and Turkey contributes to the dynamic development of cooperation between Belarusian and Turkish companies, the implementation of joint projects. Businessmen of the two countries take part in regular joint events. The recent one was a large-scale Belarus-Turkey business forum in Minsk in November 2016.

The political, trade and economic cooperation between the two countries is strengthened by stable and productive contacts in the scientific, cultural, and humanitarian areas that contribute to the strengthening of mutual understanding and further spiritual rapprochement between the peoples of Belarus and Turkey.

Oleg Kravchenko expressed confidence that the potential of bilateral cooperation is still hugely untapped and the two countries are expected to implement important bilateral projects in the future. “Turkey is one of the most important and top-priority partners for Belarus. We value our friendship and are determined to make every effort to strengthen friendly and good relations between the two countries and nations,” said the deputy minister.