BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

14/02/2007

Belarusian President Courts European Ambassadors Wit Cooperation Offers

Alyaksandr Lukashenka said in Minsk on February 13 that Belarus is ready for mutually beneficial cooperation with Europe, Belapan reported, quoting official sources. Lukashenka was receiving credentials from a group of new foreign ambassadors, including several from EU countries. While accepting credentials from the French ambassador, the Belarusian president noted that the two countries share many approaches to pressing international issues. "Belarus's interest in stepping up relations with the French Republic is, above all, based on its significant role in Europe's political and economic life," Lukashenka added. While speaking to the new ambassador of Spain, Lukashenka suggested that the two countries should concentrate their efforts on developing and diversifying bilateral trade and organizing an exchange of business delegations on a regular basis. "Spain's growing role in European and world organizations, the level of economic development it has achieved, are major preconditions for stepping up Belarusian-Spanish relations," Lukashenka said. JM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2007/02/3-CEE/cee-140207.asp