Lukashenko’s invitation to his Lebanese counterpart to visit Belarus gladly accepted
President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko has invited his Lebanese counterpart Joseph Aoun to pay a visit to Belarus – as stated in a message from the Head of State, which was handed over to the President of Lebanon by Belarus’ Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov, BelTA reports
Belarus’ FM told reporters that the message contains congratulations on his appointment to the post, as well as a proposal to develop much deeper relations in a number of areas.
“Our President has invited him [Joseph Aoun] to visit the Republic of Belarus in order to discuss at the highest level all the issues that may be of interest to us: from the bilateral relations to the international agenda,” Mr. Ryzhenkov said.
He noted that Belarus and Lebanon have very good co-operation in international structures. The countries support each other’s representatives in elected bodies of the UN system and vote for each other when making decisions on various resolutions. “In short, we have a very good background to look into the future with good optimism in our relations,” Mr. Ryzhenkov emphasised.
The President of Belarus also wished his Lebanese colleague success in implementing his policy. “We have carefully reviewed his election programme, which he is implementing today. The programme is aimed at consolidating society, strengthening the state apparatus, optimising expenditures and boosting those sectors that are vital today for ensuring the country’s current work, preserving interfaith peace and tranquillity. And this is a very multi-confessional, multi-ethnic state, in what we are even similar somewhere. Therefore, these approaches of the new leadership to building lives are very close to us. We support them and are ready to help in the implementation of all plans,” Mr. Ryzhenkov underlined.
He stated that the standard of living has indeed fallen dramatically as a result of the turmoil that has hit Lebanon recently. And many partners come to Lebanon with either conditions for assistance, demands or offers of certain concessions, preconditions.
“We came here as friends. We’re saying, ‘Here’s what we can do. We are a small country in Europe. We have our own problems, too. But today we are helping you’. We are ready, based on friendship, on the signs of our respect for the Lebanese people, gratitude for those long years of friendship, to move forward both in economic and humanitarian terms,” the FM said.
He added that during the talks, the Lebanese President said that he would very much like to visit Belarus and meet with President Aleksandr Lukashenko. The Lebanese leader promised to find time in his schedule for such a visit. “At least we can consider that the invitation has been accepted,” Mr. Ryzhenkov added.
The FM noted that such visits, of course, should be very well prepared for, “Therefore, our task today is to turn this support at the highest political level into concrete projects in economic and humanitarian co-operation.”
