MINSK, 12 February (BelTA) – The Palace of Independence in Minsk was ready for any necessary formats in order to enable efficient organization of peace talks according to the Normandy Four format in February 2015. The Belarus president’s Press Secretary Natalya Eismont shared details in the documentary “In search of peace” aired by the TV channel Belarus One on 11 February, BelTA has learned.
Natalya Eismont said: “In my opinion, as part of the peculiarity of preparations for such events you have to plan for every little detail. Certainly, the level of negotiations dictates things. And you cannot predict anything. Nevertheless, back then exactly ten years ago the Palace of Independence was ready for any necessary formats. We were ready to enable negotiations of any level, any composition: expanded, broad, average, small, narrow, one on one… This is actually what happened. All the rooms were fully and entirely equipped. Starting with papers, documents, office accessories and ending with means of communication and so on. We tried to make things convenient for our guests. We tried to do everything.”
Among other things meals were provided to the guests. “It is a well-known fact that our waiters used our trolleys to deliver everything that our Belarusian chefs had prepared with gusto to the Green Hall [where the main negotiations took place]. All our most prominent and favorite dishes. Belarusian draniki [potato pancakes]. Belarusian pork. Our guests ate all of that and asked for seconds,” the press secretary noted.
The documentary mentions memoirs of the now former President of France François Hollande, who took part in the negotiations as his country’s leader. In his memoirs the politician expressed displeasure with the Palace of Independence itself and with the diversity of the menu.
Natalya Eismont admitted that such feedback is simply surprising for her as a human being. “It was very difficult to understand what the president of France was lacking at that moment. It was even more incomprehensible why he started pondering the wrong menu or some other things when he talks about these events of utmost importance not only for the region but the continent and the entire world,” she said.
The press secretary underlined that it is difficult to imagine that Belarus can host guests incorrectly at all, including in a home environment or in a business format. “And can you imagine that anything can be out of order if you know the kind of scrupulous attention our president pays to the organization of any event as a matter of principle? If you know how he always gets to the bottom of everything and learns all the details? Even more so offering wrong food? Well, if the person had nothing to say, if this person remembers that as a result of those colossally complicated negotiations, then we should probably ask some questions about him. Definitely not about us,” Natalya Eismont emphasized.
Follow us on:
