BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

02/08/2006

Lukashenko Offers EU, U.S. Partnership, Wants Belarus Image Improvement

MosNews

The Belarussian president said Tuesday that his country offered the European Union and the United States a mutually beneficial partnership, but that it had no desire to join the EU, RIA Novosti news agency reports.

Alexander Lukashenko's domestic policies have come under severe criticism from the West, with Washington dubbing him "Europe's last dictator" and both the U.S. and EU banning him from entering their territories.

"Our strategic line in regard to cooperation with the European Union and the United States is clear - without any intention of joining the EU, we offer a mutually beneficial partnership with a strong neighbor. We offer the United States the same cooperation within our spheres of common interest," the Belarussian leader said.

"People say that Belarus has, allegedly, the wrong values. If we are talking about respect for states, their independence and sovereignty, their rights to choose their futures, about the right to life and free labor, these are our values." The U.S. and the EU do not have a monopoly on these rights, he added. "Our nation paid a far greater price for these values than the U.S. and the EU."

As well as being blacklisted by the U.S., EU and 30 senior diplomats following the March presidential elections which international observers called flawed, the EU also decided in May to freeze the authoritarian leader's accounts.

Lukashenko called on Belarussian diplomats to work on the promotion and protection of the country's image abroad, and warned them against negative steps given the high level of international pressure on Belarus.

He added that the formation of a favorable image for Belarus would benefit the country's economic development.

"Every German or Pole should know that [natural] gas came to their country via Belarus," he said.

In June the Belarussian leader said his country would make "two or three steps" to meet the EU halfway if the union made at least one step.

Source:

http://www.mosnews.com/news/2006/08/02/belaruswantspartnership.shtml

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