BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

30/01/2008

Belarusian president hails relations with Russia

MOSCOW, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday spoke highly of relations with Russia, vowing to strengthen economic cooperation, according to reports reaching here.

"Nothing has changed for the worse; on the contrary, we have corrected the recent inadequacies, including those economic," Itar-Tass news agency quoted Lukashenko as saying in a meeting with visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Minsk.

"We are interested in comprehensive cooperation with Russia," Lukashenko said.

Lavrov, who is in Minsk to approve a joint foreign political action plan, said Russia is satisfied with the existing ties and contacts with Belarus.

On economic cooperation, the top diplomat contributed trade growth to the industries and economic growth in the two countries, saying it enhanced the foundation of the Russia-Belarus Union State.

Source:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/30/content_7522766.htm