Meeting with OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger

Belarus will keep investing efforts in strengthening peace and security in Europe, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said addressing OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger in Minsk on 3 September.

The head of state thanked the OSCE chief for upholding the idea to hold the high-level international conference on counter-terrorism in Minsk. “We really appreciate it. We are grateful to international organizations for entrusting Belarus with the task to host such forums. You should know it and we know it very well. This entails huge responsibility. We are trying to be up to par, to meet the expectations of international organizations as far as regional security is concerned,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

He assured that Belarus will remain committed to this cause. “Our country will always be a good partner for you and you can count on us in strengthening peace and security,” the head of state said addressing OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger.

The President welcomed the high level of cooperation between Belarus and the OSCE. “We have developed a good tradition to discuss key aspects of our cooperation in Europe. I am really grateful to you, the OSCE, for the recognition of our role in building security in Europe, he said.

Thomas Greminger thanked the Belarusian leader for the opportunity to visit Minsk. He noted that this is his fourth visit for the past 13-14 months. “I really appreciate your active involvement in strengthening peace and security, your active cooperation with the OSCE, willingness to host a number of meetings, including those of the contact group [Trilateral Contact Group on resolving the situation in Ukraine’s east], support for initiatives aimed at building peace and security,” he said.

The OSCE chief also mentioned Belarus’ contribution to signing the Minsk Protocol (Minsk-1) and the Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements (Minsk-2). “It was encouraging to hear what you said about Minsk-2. I believe that we should go on with our discussion on this matter,” Thomas Greminger said.