MINSK, 21 March (BelTA) – Despite all efforts, the collective West failed to isolate Belarus. The country's international positions even strengthened, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he addressed the outgoing deputies of the House of Representatives and members of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the seventh convocation, BelTA has learned.
The head of state pointed out that the outgoing MPs have noticeably expanded international contacts. They have strengthened their positions in cooperation with MPs of Russia and other EAEU countries, established contacts with their colleagues from Latin America, the Far East and Africa. "You have made many new friends," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The MPs worked to promote a peaceful, unifying agenda and strengthen the image of Belarus as a reliable and, most importantly, predictable state, the president noted. "Despite all the efforts the collective West failed to isolate Belarus in the international arena. Moreover, the country's international positions have even strengthened," the head of state emphasized. This is confirmed by the election of Belarusian MPs to the governing bodies of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Aleksandr Lukashenko highlighted the active dialogue between the legislative bodies of Belarus and Russia: "The speakers of the parliaments of the two countries maintained close contact which facilitated the development of new areas and forms of interaction. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Union State of Belarus and Russia focused on ensuring equal rights of citizens and business entities.
The president also took note of the organization of annual forums of the regions of Belarus and Russia, which are held under the auspices of the parliaments. They make a significant contribution to the solution of economic problems of the two states. Over the past 10 years, almost 600 cooperation agreements and commercial contracts worth nearly $6.5 billion have been concluded at such forums.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also drew attention to the traditionally constructive partnership with the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly. At the invitation of the National Assembly, Minsk hosted a visiting meeting of the CSTO PA Council in May 2023.
"Efforts were stepped up to develop contacts with parliamentary organizations of the countries pursuing an independent foreign policy and respecting the right of other nations to an independent path of development. The proposals to create parliamentary dimensions of the SCO and BRICS are timely and, I think, promising," the head of state emphasized.
According to the president, raising the level of cooperation with the Chinese Parliament to the High Level Interparliamentary Committee is illustrative.
"The states with which we are friends are home to the majority of the world's population. Their economies account for a significant part of the world's gross domestic product. There are huge markets for our products and technologies," Aleksandr Lukashenko pointed out.
For the first time the Parliament has sent a delegation to a new international structure - the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network established in 2021.
"At the same time, Belarusian MPs continue to actively defend the national interests in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, using any formal and informal occasions to bring the truth about Belarus to citizens of the Western countries," the president said. “As an example, he cited informal meetings with representatives of alternative political forces of Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, which were held in Minsk on the initiative of the MPs of the seventh convocation. "The new Parliament will preserve and multiply your achievements in the development of international relations," the head of state stated.
