Singapore’s experience might be useful for Belarus, Lukashenko says

SINGAPORE, 21 March (BelTA) – Belarus might learn from the unique history of Singapore, President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said as he reviewed his talks with the top government officials of Singapore, BelTA has learnt.

“The development history of independent Singapore is an example for all countries. It can be useful for the Belarusian state, too,” Alexander Lukashenko said. He noted that he sincerely admires Singapore’s achievements in the social and economic sectors. “We are in favor of the independent policy pursued by Singapore on the international arena. The first Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, believed that the country could become a success relying solely on itself and he advanced Singapore from the group of “third world countries” to the group of global leaders,” the Belarusian head of state said.

Alexander Lukashenko pointed out that Belarus, just like Singapore, has opted for its own development path taking into consideration the interests of Belarusian people. “Consistently and persistently we address most complicated economic and social issues and remain committed to a peaceful foreign policy,” the President said. Over the 20 years since the establishment of our diplomatic relations, the cooperation between Belarus and Singapore has made certain progress. “I am convinced that we still need to do much more,” the Belarusian leader said.

Alexander Lukashenko noted that the ongoing visit to Singapore, the first highest-level visit in the history of the bilateral relations, gave a start to a dialogue across a wide range of matters. “We have laid a foundation for mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields,” the President said.

The Belarusian head of state invited the President of Singapore to return the visit to Belarus in any convenient time.