MINSK, 30 July (BelTA) – What we see is a policy to isolate Belarus politically and to wreck its economy, Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei said during a meeting of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko with senior local government officials to discuss topical social and political issues on 30 July, BelTA has learned.
“The current situation around Belarus can be described as a new reality. The military and political confrontation and economic rivalry between the world's major geopolitical players are growing. The coronavirus pandemic has made competition in all markets more aggressive. Countries as well as integration associations have intensified protectionism. These days, many disregard any rules completely,” Vladimir Makei said. The West – the United States, the European Union and their allies – are joining efforts to turn other countries into obedient vassals who would follow their rules, not the international law. They do this to preserve and expand their influence and to maintain the high living standards and prosperity they are used to,” Vladimir Makei believes.
According to him, Belarus' position along geopolitical dividing lines and its determination to pursue an independent policy make it a thorn in the side of the West, and the country is greatly affected by these tendencies. “I believe that if there had been no geopolitical prerequisites that provoked aggressive foreign intervention and fight for Belarus, the situation in our country would have been different. It is clear today that after the failure of the blitzkrieg attempt, Belarus' opponents resorted to the policy of artificial political isolation of Belarus and disruption of its economy with the help of the unprecedented sanctions. We will not just have to live with them for a while. We will have to prevail,” Vladimir Makei noted.
In view of this, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs focuses on measures to resist and respond to the pressure of the West as well as to secure the necessary international support for Belarus, advance cooperation with Belarus' key partners in other regions, establish new ties, and expand the country's presence in foreign markets. “Taking into account the proposals from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government has drawn up and adopted algorithms to respond to the restrictive measures of the West in all fields. This is not only about economic sanctions, but also about activities of NGOs, political institutions, international organizations, and so on. Every ministry has received appropriate instructions,” Vladimir Makei pointed out. “During last week's meeting hosted by the head of state to discuss our foreign policy priorities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again highlighted its key tasks: to defend Belarus' independence and to strengthen its political and economic stability in the current situation, which is, in fact, a hybrid war. In August, we will adjust the foreign policy of Belarus to mitigate the impact of the sanctions on the country's foreign trade. This will be reflected in the new foreign policy concept that is currently in the works as instructed by the Belarusian People's Congress,” he added.
