PYONGYANG, 27 March (BelTA) - The leaders of Belarus and the DPRK, Aleksandr Lukashenko and Kim Jong Un, immediately found “chemistry” during their meeting in Pyongyang, and the events of the official visit of the Belarusian head of state went far beyond the originally defined protocol framework, Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Ryzhenkov told the media following the Belarusian president's visit, BelTA has learned.
“The spirit of the negotiations was the most sincere and the most friendly. The foundation for this was the chemistry, as they say, that immediately emerged between the leaders of the two countries," the minister said.
Moreover, the protocol arrangements for various events were changed on the fly and adapted to the format of communication between Aleksandr Lukashenko and Kim Jong Un. Everything depended on what the initial contact between the leaders would be like. “I am very glad that they so quickly established that initial rapport, understood each other, and found common ground. You almost got the impression that one leader would start a sentence and the other would finish it without missing a beat. We didn't even expect the DPRK leader to be so deeply and seriously engaged at every stage of the visit. But that's how it happened,” Maxim Ryzhenkov said.For instance, Kim Jong Un joined Aleksandr Lukashenko for the wreath-laying ceremony at the Liberation Monument, something that had not been anticipated. The DPRK leader also personally bid farewell to his Belarusian counterpart at the airport upon the conclusion of the visit. The farewell was arranged as a grand ceremony, attended not only by officials but also by hundreds of local residents and an orchestra.
In protocol terms, such gestures are quite exceptional, especially considering this was only the second personal meeting between the leaders in the history of bilateral relations. The special friendly rapport between them was clear on both days of the visit, in their warm greetings and lively discussions during breaks between official events.
“Our task now is to not let our leaders down in carrying out the assignments they have given us,” Maxim Ryzhenkov noted.
The minister also spoke of the gala concert held in honor of the Belarusian president’s official visit. Aleksandr Lukashenko and Kim Jong Un attended the event together. It was a spectacular show, weaving together elements of both Korean and Belarusian culture. Performers from the DPRK sang not only their own national songs but also well-known pieces in Russian and Belarusian. “The president remarked that some of the Belarusian songs were performed even better than we perform them here,” the minister said. “It was a brilliant concert. You could feel the Belarusian spirit in it. They managed to find those connecting threads through songs and pieces that showed that, in our daily lives and traditions, we look at life in the same way. The foundation is patriotism, love of country, peace, and self-reliance.”
Maxim Ryzhenkov stressed that the two countries and their leaders hold broadly similar views on the global order and the development of their nations, implementing socially focused policies. “These are the very foundations that, refracted through the leadership of our heads of state, serve as the cement binding together cooperation on a broad spectrum of issues,” the minister said.
“The spirit of the negotiations was the most sincere and the most friendly. The foundation for this was the chemistry, as they say, that immediately emerged between the leaders of the two countries," the minister said.
Moreover, the protocol arrangements for various events were changed on the fly and adapted to the format of communication between Aleksandr Lukashenko and Kim Jong Un. Everything depended on what the initial contact between the leaders would be like. “I am very glad that they so quickly established that initial rapport, understood each other, and found common ground. You almost got the impression that one leader would start a sentence and the other would finish it without missing a beat. We didn't even expect the DPRK leader to be so deeply and seriously engaged at every stage of the visit. But that's how it happened,” Maxim Ryzhenkov said.For instance, Kim Jong Un joined Aleksandr Lukashenko for the wreath-laying ceremony at the Liberation Monument, something that had not been anticipated. The DPRK leader also personally bid farewell to his Belarusian counterpart at the airport upon the conclusion of the visit. The farewell was arranged as a grand ceremony, attended not only by officials but also by hundreds of local residents and an orchestra.
“Our task now is to not let our leaders down in carrying out the assignments they have given us,” Maxim Ryzhenkov noted.
The minister also spoke of the gala concert held in honor of the Belarusian president’s official visit. Aleksandr Lukashenko and Kim Jong Un attended the event together. It was a spectacular show, weaving together elements of both Korean and Belarusian culture. Performers from the DPRK sang not only their own national songs but also well-known pieces in Russian and Belarusian. “The president remarked that some of the Belarusian songs were performed even better than we perform them here,” the minister said. “It was a brilliant concert. You could feel the Belarusian spirit in it. They managed to find those connecting threads through songs and pieces that showed that, in our daily lives and traditions, we look at life in the same way. The foundation is patriotism, love of country, peace, and self-reliance.”
Maxim Ryzhenkov stressed that the two countries and their leaders hold broadly similar views on the global order and the development of their nations, implementing socially focused policies. “These are the very foundations that, refracted through the leadership of our heads of state, serve as the cement binding together cooperation on a broad spectrum of issues,” the minister said.
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