MINSK, 18 April (BelTA) – Belarus is gaining weight in foreign policy matters. The opinion was voiced by Galina Malishevskaya, Director General of ZAO BelKP-PRESS, during the TV show Club of Editors aired by the TV channel Belarus One in the evening of 17 April, BelTA has learned.
Among other areas the TV show focused on the Belarus president's latest visit to Turkey where the head of state took part in the summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and met with a number of foreign leaders. “Turkey and Russia are in a state of a certain conflict. The same can be said for Ukraine-Russia relations. Belarus tries to maintain friendly relations with both Ukraine and Turkey. Does it impose certain political peacemaking obligations upon Belarus? Is there any secret intention like that, including in the conflicting parties?” asked the TV show's host, Chairman of the National State Television and Radio Company of Belarus Gennady Davydko.
“It is a normal situation when Belarus gains some weight in foreign policy matters on the global scale. When such contacts happen at the top level, it represents a serious achievement on the part of our diplomats,” said Galina Malishevskaya.
In her words, when conflicting parties do not see each other eye to eye, the network impact of countries — albeit without massive political weight — that can lead a dialogue at different levels is important. “Certainly, it is important for Belarus and means a lot,” stressed the media expert. “It is only normal when Belarus is positioned as a peacemaker and an informational and diplomatic intermediary. We can lead the dialogue. It is very important. If we are located between the West and the East in geopolitical sense and if we are to use it, then we are in the same situation in diplomatic sense,” added Galina Malishevskaya.
In turn, speaking about important aspects of the Belarusian head of state's speech during the Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit, Editor-in-Chief of the Zvyazda newspaper Alexander Karlyukevich mentioned the statement in favor of building normal relations not only between the West and the East but also between the North and the South.
