Lukashenko Briefed on US Talks: Belarus Fulfilling Commitments, Progress Noted on Multiple Fronts

How are the negotiations on the Belarusian-American track progressing? The President was briefed today on the results of this work.

Recall that over the course of this year several negotiation rounds have taken place at the Palace of Independence — US Special Envoy John Coale has come to Minsk.

The American side declared significant progress achieved by our countries as a result of the negotiations. For Belarus they translated into the lifting of a number of sanctions restrictions for Belarusian companies.

Alexander Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Belarus:

“A little more than a month ago during the last negotiations we agreed that we would meet and discuss Belarusian-American relations, their state and our actions for the future. Mr. Rybakov was tasked with controlling this process. We used him as our representative for conducting negotiations and implementing our agreements. A month ago we agreed that he would arrive in Belarus and report on the implementation of the agreements. For our part we are strictly fulfilling what we promised the Americans. At that time it was said to the delegation: we would very much like the Americans also to fulfill the agreements. We agreed that within a month we would catch up and come out onto the platform of further actions. Rybakov will report on what is happening today and what is to be done in the near future. I must say that the US administration is not having an easy time; there is plenty of work. But I appreciate that Donald Trump and his people pay attention to our contacts; there is progress on many issues. Despite the fact that individual problems are being highlighted, as they say, with the exchange of political prisoners, the lifting of sanctions, many other issues related to the embassy and so on, today on the table we also have, among other things, Belarus’s relations with the EU, which also concerns the US. I would like you to report on these issues, and we will decide on further actions. Convey to John Coale the warmest wishes, to his wife, a bright and prominent journalist, and also gratitude to Donald Trump for the attention he pays to our relations.”