U.S. envoy calls for Lithuania-Belarus dialogue, shows interest in potash
John Coale
MINSK, 27 March (BelTA) - U.S. Special Envoy John Coale has called on Vilnius to engage in dialogue with Minsk and expressed the United States’ interest in potash fertilizers from Belarus. He made the remarks in an interview with a Lithuanian media outlet.
John Coale said that Belarusian potash fertilizers could be very beneficial to the United States and should be supplied via Lithuania. He expressed hope that Lithuania would agree to hold a bilateral meeting with Belarus at the deputy ministerial level.
“Potash fertilizers from Belarus should go through Lithuania. That opens up Europe for them and the route onward to the United States,” said John Coale. He noted that resolving the problematic issues between Belarus and Lithuania would help establish trade between the two countries, as well as trade with Europe and with the United States of America.
“We need to stop the things that hinder life on both sides,” he added.
John Coale noted that he had discussed Belarusian fertilizers with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. According to him, Rollins told him that Belarusian fertilizers would be very beneficial for the United States.
Earlier, the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the annual direct losses to the Lithuanian economy from the severance of ties with Belarus are estimated at nearly $1 billion, with among the most significant consequences being a catastrophic blow to Lithuania’s transit sector, the operation of the Port of Klaipėda and Lithuanian Railways, and a reduction in Lithuanian exports. The publication Diena wrote that Lithuania’s termination of transit of products from Belaruskali as of 1 February 2022 was a key factor behind Lithuanian Railways’ unprofitability.
