BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

30/06/2009

Lukashenko ready to normalize relations with U.S. if sanctions against Belarus dropped

Interfax-Ukraine

MINSK - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has expressed confidence in the improvement of relations with the United States and readiness to return to the discussion of the restoration of full-scale diplomatic relations on condition that Washington cancels its sanctions against Minsk.

"We are ready to return to the question of the restoration of full-scale mutual diplomatic presence on condition of the full legislative cancellation of the sanctions imposed against our country and the legal foundation for them - the Belarus Democracy Act," Lukashenko said at a Tuesday meeting with a delegation of the U.S. Congress in Minsk.

Belarus "is extremely interested in a constructive exchange of opinions with the United States on all the issues that have been frozen for over ten years," Lukashenko said.

The freeze in relations has existed "through no fault of Belarus. The time has come to drop old patterns and stereotypes and take a new look at our relations," he said.

Belarus "has always stood for closer, more diverse and constructive relations" with the United States, Lukashenko said.

"However, they must be based on the principles of the sovereign equality of the sides, non-interference in the internal affairs of each other and most importantly on mutual respect and confidence," he said.

"I am an optimist by nature, you know, therefore I expect the relations between our two countries to normalize. We have unequivocally invited our western partners to try to settle all aspects in our relationship," Lukashenko said.

Belarus is ready to establish close contacts "on a long-term pragmatic basis with any U.S. administration irrespective of temporary political considerations," he said.

"Let's deal with problem-ridden situations together at any level in Minsk as well as in Washington," he said.

Source:

http://www.kyivpost.com/world/44322

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