FM Makei explains why Lukashenka skips Eastern Partnership summit
Belarus' Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makei and Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / twitter.com/BelarusMID
Belarusian Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makei has explained why Aliaksandr Lukashenka is not attending the Eastern Partnership summit in Brussles where he has arrived instead of the president to represent Belarus.
"The time will come and the president will be in attendance. We cannot say yet that we have achieved a high level in our relations with the European Union," state news agency BELTA quotes the Foreign Minister as saying.
According to Mr Makei, the visit by Lukashenka to Brussels "must be very productive, with packed agenda."
Uladzimir Makei represents Belarus at the events to mark the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership that are taking place in Brussels on 13-14 May. On 13 May, foreign ministers of the 28 EU member states are meeting with their counterparts from the six Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine). Their annual joint session is chaired by Federica Mogherini - High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Mr Makei has already met with Commissioner Mogherini, the photo apperared on Belarusian Foreign Ministry's Twitter profile.
Uladzimir Makei said in Brussels that Belarus is determined to keep building its relations with the European Union.
#Макей, #Eap10: Мы всегда исходим из того, что нужно искать не то, что нас разъединяет, а то, что объединяет. И на такой основе выстраивать свои отношения. Именно приверженность объединительной повестке дня всегда дает больше результатов, нежели какая-то конфронтационная линия pic.twitter.com/46WogH2elw
— МИД Беларуси (@BelarusMID) 13 мая 2019 г.
