Meeting with CIS heads of government

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko met with the participants of the CIS Heads of Government Council summit on 28 May.

At the beginning of the event, the head of state took the opportunity to congratulate Azerbaijan on the national holiday - Republic Day.

The President welcomed the participants of the meeting in Belarus: "As far as I know many of you were able to meet tete-a-tete, to talk about the relations and prospects. I am happy to welcome you on Belarusian soil. Despite the attacks on Belarus, mainly on the internet, Telegram-channels, you can see that the situation is calm, that Minsk is a quiet and calm city, a place comfortable for living. You and citizens of your states are welcome here any time."

"By coming here you show that we cannot sit locked up in our countries all the time. We need to open up, to engage in a live dialogue, go meet each other. I think you will agree, that no technical means of communication, even most advanced ones, which we sometimes have to use, can replace live trustful communication. Moreover, issues for discussion are always many. Today they are as many," the head of state added.

At the meeting Aleksandr Lukashenko said that the project named the Commonwealth of Independent States has proved to be a success and has again showed its viability in this difficult time.

“Today we can say with absolute confidence that the project named the CIS has succeeded and has once again showed its viability in this difficult time,” the Belarusian leader emphasized.

He noted that even the collapse of the Soviet Union could not completely disrupt the strong integration ties between the fraternal Soviet republics. “It was a great country, and in all respects it was a very attractive geopolitical center with a developed economy, advanced culture, a place where more than a hundred different ethnic groups lived peacefully,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

The President stated that these countries have a huge experience of several generations, centuries-old traditions of friendship and good-neighborliness, the power of spiritual unity. “That is what we have demonstrated together with you. We have what we have inherited from our grandfathers and great-grandfathers, our parents who won the most terrible war of the last century,” he said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that the CIS should focus on development of the common economic space.

“One of the unshakable priorities of the foreign policy of the Republic of Belarus today is building closer cooperation within our association. We have outlined the most important tasks for the Commonwealth in the program documents of the Belarusian chairmanship, and we are also working on them in the EAEU format. We have already implemented many of them within the framework of the Belarus-Russia Union State. It is obvious that the governments of the CIS countries and the CIS bodies should focus on the development of the common economic space,” the head of state emphasized.

“Let me say it straight: unless we deal with this matter in the near future, the Commonwealth of Independent States can hardly be efficient. More so, the EAEU cannot be efficient either. The time has come to finally dot all the i’s and take a decision to build a true foundation for our inter-state relations. The foundation is the economy,” the Belarusian leader emphasized.

According to him, successful economic integration is impossible without improvement of the CIS documents and their harmonization with the regulatory framework of the Eurasian Economic Union. “After that we should effectively move forward,” Aleksandr Lukashenko added.

In his opinion, integration is a means to counter targeted attacks of external forces against the Commonwealth of Independent States.

“Integration is a means to counter targeted attacks of external forces against the CIS. Today we can see that the principles of the international law are blatantly neglected, the number of cases when the so-called right of the strong is used is increasing. Frankly speaking, in recent time I have had more and more doubts if they are as strong as they can demonstrate,” the head of state said.

According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, the logic of opponents is quite clear. “First, we are getting stronger and, obviously, we can impede their plans to build the one-polar world. Second, our countries have a colossal potential, and it makes our rivals worried. The main potential of ours, of all of us, is our spirit. Third, this potential can be multiplied if we continue deepening our ties and integration,” the President said.

The head of state is convinced that together the sides will be able to counteract new global challenges, including the spread of the coronavirus infection, more efficiently.

At the meeting the President commented on modern challenges and recurrent attempts to rock the boat in a certain place or region, be it on the territory of Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, or other countries. According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, all these events are going on not far from us. “We have never thought that in peaceful and quiet Belarus with tolerant people such things are possible. Now you realize what methods these rascals use, how much money they invest in it, what networks create,” he said. “Any human rights [in actions and intentions of opponents] were out of the question. This explosive moment for the beginning of the riot was created. Many of your states have gone through it, some countries are facing it. All states. Therefore, we need solidarity and unity more than ever.”

According to the head of state, in this situation the CIS countries need to do what they were doing quite well in Soviet times. “We had the integrated economy. Cooperation is maintained in certain positions. It is very difficult to tear us apart because our economies are connected. Let’s do our job, let’s build the foundation so that our people could feel the results of our efforts. Not only from the Union State, the EAEU, but also from the CIS. We cannot lose each other,” the Belarusian leader stressed.

In this regard, Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled that some time ago he advised the leaders of Ukraine and Georgia not to break ties with the CIS. “It is easy to leave, but you will face many obstacles and problems if you want to come back,” he said. “Therefore, dear friends, don’t be in a hurry.”

The President also warned the countries against unnecessary arguments. “Sometimes we start arguing without any reason – we start dividing a ruble into four parts or cannot set a price for 1,000 cubic meters of gas while Turkmenistan has abundant reserves. We start to economize living in one space. It is not normal,” the Belarusian leader stressed.

“Do not lose what you have. Cherish what you have. Let’s do our best to multiply what we have,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

All the member states of the CIS should get involved in addressing common regional issues, the President believes.

“I am convinced that all countries of the Commonwealth should be involved in tackling common regional problems in various integration formats,” the head of state said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko praised the way the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meeting was held in Kazan on 29 April. Moldova, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan participated in the summit in the status of observer states and guests of honor.

“The credit for bringing all these people together goes to you,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said addressing Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. “Even those who hesitated finally made up their mind to go there, get together and talk. It doesn’t matter whether those were Commonwealth members or observer states, or anyone else. Obviously, that was the idea of ??the Russian side. I want to reiterate that I appreciate that you did this. Moreover, we are approaching 2025 - a significant milestone in the EAEU history, as this year is the deadline for completing the formation of common markets for gas, oil and petroleum products, electricity, a common financial market, a common transport space, a coordinated agro-industrial policy,” the President said.

“It is already at our doorstep. Of course, we are facing certain challenges. There is no escaping that. Even the Soviet Union experienced difficulties, and those difficulties were quite serious! They became particularly obvious after the collapse of the Soviet Union. No big project can proceed smoothly. At the same time, the public should see progress and results of our work,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, he congratulated the participants of the meeting on the 30th anniversary of the CIS, which is celebrated this year, and asked to convey an invitation to the heads of the Commonwealth countries to visit Belarus on 15 October to participate in the CIS Heads of State Council meeting that will be timed to this anniversary. “We should meet here. It was here where, unfortunately, our former leaders put an end to the Soviet Union. Maybe, we will go on an excursion to Belovezhskaya Pushcha. I am ready to welcome you there. This place has not changed. We take good care of it. Many journalists signed up to film those locations in the run-up to the 30th anniversary. We are open, go ahead and do it, even though I stay there sometimes. If I invited you on a tour to this place and were a guide myself, I would tell you a lot of interesting things. Maybe certain things are not for journalists. I would tell you how everything happened there, how the leaders behaved and how easily, with one stroke of a pen they destroyed this great country, a center of power that was involved in addressing all issues,” the President said.

“However, that was yesterday. Today, there are sovereign independent states in this space. Do not shout at each other saying that someone wants to incorporate, pressurize, absorb someone ... Listen, the world has changed. There are no idiots among us who would try to enslave a friendly state in a colonial manner. This is impossible today. Any attempt to take over another state or to incorporate it by force will be met with a strong response in this state. There are a lot of ill-wishes wanting to add fuel to the flame today. Therefore, it is necessary to accept the existing state of things de facto and de jure. With this in mind, we need to move forward keeping what we have and integrating on new principles, in new conditions - as time requires,” Aleksandr Lukashenko concluded.

The head of state informed that assistance to citizens of Western states was discussed at the recent meeting with the Russian president. “Although their governments are behaving inappropriately towards Belarus, you see the huge demand for Sputnik V vaccines in Western countries, and a lot of people are trying to get here in every possible way,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “People are asking for help. We agreed with the Russian president that Belarus will open several border checkpoints and set up tents there, if necessary. We have enough of these checkpoints to receive people coming from the territory of Poland, Lithuania and other states, especially Ukraine. These are our people, we speak the same language. We need to help them get vaccinated. We are now working on this issue, given that we have no frenzy regarding the pandemic itself and the vaccination,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

According to the president, the immunization campaign in Belarus is running smoothly and as planned. “The main thing for us now is to protect the elderly and other vulnerable groups. We are encouraging them to do this, but we do not insist. There is no compulsory vaccination and will not be. We need to help our neighbors, especially Ukrainians. You see what is happening there,” the Belarusian leader said.

He noted that the pandemic affected not only economic ties, but also social and humanitarian contacts: “They also need to be restored. First of all, this pertains to human contacts, culture, science, education, sports, tourism. “I never thought that this situation - the situation itself, not only the disease - would turn the whole world upside down. However, having joined forces, we have shown that we can do it [successfully overcome challenges]. Russia has demonstrated that it is a true leader,” the President said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko thanked the Russian authorities for helping Belarus and other countries with the vaccine: “You are not hiding this vaccine from anyone. There are already four vaccines. Maybe you will develop a few more, given that the coronavirus mutates, new variants appear. Let’s hope that our vaccines can successfully work against all these variants. I want to express my special gratitude to you: you did not just sell us the vaccine - you shared your technology, now we produce half a million vaccines a month.”

The President informed the meeting participants that Belarus had already developed its own vaccine in a laboratory setting. “We are in no hurry to even test it today because we have enough vaccines thanks to supplies from Russia and our own vaccine production based on the Russian technology. We want to see what will happen to the coronavirus next year, as it will not go anywhere. We want our vaccine to target the coronavirus variant that will be there next year. If we succeed, we will consider it our common vaccine. We will do the same thing as Russia did,” the Belarusian leader said.

The head of state said that he is well aware of the situation across the CIS, which is about the same in all the member states. “Why have we closed up and do not let our people communicate? We will get over it. We need to do everything right so that our people do not point fingers at us, as it has already been happening in the West,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

“If the current situation is more or less normal and we have leveled it off, let us reopen to each other,” the head of state said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said that Belarus has not closed its borders since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, and the effectiveness of measures taken to combat the infection has been recognized by experts of the World Health Organization.

“We have chosen our own way to combat the coronavirus, but we could not close up. Otherwise, the economy would have collapsed. We have withstood it thanks to this policy,” the Belarusian leader said. He added that Belarus does not have huge reserves of minerals or even a printing press to provide additional foreign exchange earnings.

Even the strong European states suffered hard because of lockdowns. “But they have a printing press and can print euros. The United States could afford shutting down, they also have a printing press. We, even Russia, have nothing but our hands and brains. So let us reopen, let us communicate. The fact that we are closed will not reduce the spread of the disease. This process began long time ago. God grant it to be over as soon as possible. Nothing will change regardless of whether the plane flies or not, but we will be suffering huge losses,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

“This pandemic (a blessing in disguise) has revealed how close we are to each other, how capable we are of supporting each other. No matter how we look at this collective West, but in this part, regardless of all the faults, they support each other. Thank God that the Russians have not shut down, as some have, and have been an example of support for us. We need to reopen. Sport, tourism, education, culture, science and most importantly - economy. Our people need to communicate,” the President stressed.

Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized that there are still some inconsistencies in this matter. For example, Belarus and Russia have resumed rail services, but there are still restrictions on air transport. “I think the Russian president and I will come to an agreement on this issue today [at the upcoming talks between the two presidents],” he said.