Lukashenka: “I won’t alter course dramatically” :: Charter'97 :: News

Alyaksandr Lukashenka is not going to alter the foreign policy dramatically, despite of a number of problems in bilateral relations with Russia. “They are already starting to push me towards Americans or to somebody else. We are not going to alter the policy, as we have found the only way for our country’s foreign policy orientation which is possible for our country,” Alyaksandr Lukashenka said at a ceremony of awarding scientists of the country with diplomas and certificates of Doctors of Science and professors.

Lukashenka stated that “we are situated in the center of Europe, and we should get along well both with the East and the West”. Besides, he added, “we should live with our neighbours in a normal way, as you can’t pick and choose them, they are given by God”.

Emphasizing that the Belarusian foreign policy is multi-vector, A. Lukashenka admitted that “it has happened so that we have been flying with one wing for some time”. “It was not our fault that our relations with the West had deteriorated. Today they have understood what Belarus is; and that without Belarus the West won’t be able to ensure its energetic security,” Belarusian president said. He specified that “such transit countries as Belarus and Ukraine are playing as important role as Russia which produces these energy resources”.

Lukashenka urges Russia not to contribute to the tension in bilateral relations and to think over what is going on in the sphere of solving trade and economic problems, Interfax informs.

“I think that the both sides should cool down today, to think over what is going on and not to contribute to tensions and not to bring the situation into the direction from which there would be no way out,” A. Lukashenka said.

As said by him, “we do not need this fight, and not because we are weak. We are ready for whatever comes and we shall bear up everything,” the president said.

Belarus hasn’t still made contracts for oil deliveries in February this year, as the Russian side offers world prices, Lukashenka said.

“The oil contract for February hasn’t been signed yet, as Russian oligarchs, whose tracks are covered up by Russian government, demand us to buy oil at a price higher than the global one. It is no good at all, it is unseen in the world,” A. Lukashenka said.

“That is why the delegation which is in talks today has been instructed directly by me that the companies offering such contracts at such prices would be liable to additional fees, so that we could compensate our losses”.

As A. Lukashenka believes, by offering high oil prices, the Russian side is doing that on purpose.