Warming up in Belarus-Russia relations ‘no pre-election campaigning’

MINSK, 13 December (BelTA) – President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko believes that Russia’s rapprochement with Belarus is not pre-election campaigning. Alexander Lukashenko made the relevant statement in the interview with the radio station Russian News Service on 13 December, BelTA has learned.

“I don’t believe that some kind of pre-election campaigning has made us closer. I wouldn’t like it to be the only reason,” said the Belarusian head of state.

“It seems to me that as a result of these head-on collisions with Russians, you remember milk wars, gas and oil disputes and so on, we have come to understand that this fighting will produce nothing. The relations should be built in a new way,” remarked the President.

Since Belarus is a kind of a corridor between Russia and the West, it is important for Belarus to preserve its own independence, said Alexander Lukashenko. “Any government, particularly Belarus’, should strive to find a corridor that you can walk through without damaging interests of others. The government also has to avoid getting bought and to avoid selling its sovereignty”.