Lukashenko: We Are Trustworthy People—We Will Fulfill Our Obligations Diligently and on Time
Official negotiations between the leaders took place in Minsk. Alexander Lukashenko confirmed that Belarus is ready to seriously ramp up cooperation with this country. This includes supplies of food, mining equipment, and agricultural machinery, as well as establishing a tractor assembly plant. Industrial cooperation could become a significant point of growth for Minsk and Ulaanbaatar, while joint efforts in light industry and the agricultural sector can bring concrete, practical results for both nations. A three-year cooperation roadmap has been approved between Belarus and Mongolia.
"The best person arrives during the rain." As it turned out, there is such a Mongolian proverb. Therefore, by all indications, the truly autumnal weather these days is a good sign that only favors the negotiations between the leaders.
For the President of Mongolia, Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, this is his first visit to Belarus—and in fact, the first in the history of diplomatic relations, which will mark their 35th anniversary next year! They are not starting from scratch; ties date back to Soviet times when Belarus helped build Mongolia's economy. The visit to Minsk can be considered a Mongolian "alaverdi" (return gesture): two years ago, Alexander Lukashenko initiated movement on this track. Back then, they managed to align their interests in order to move forward.
Lukashenko: Belarus and Mongolia Need to Begin Cooperation in Earnest
The communication between the leaders began the day before with a conversation in an informal setting at Alexander Lukashenko's home. Today, the politicians' rhetoric makes it clear that they discussed regional problems, the international agenda, and bilateral relations. Our President shed light on both the timing and the substance: Minsk and Ulaanbaatar mean business.
Alexander Lukashenko: "Yesterday (during the informal meeting — Ed.), we did not waste any time. We spent three hours discussing the current state of affairs in our relations and tried to draw up a roadmap for our cooperation. We agreed that we need to start cooperating in earnest. In order to build a solid building, you need a strong foundation. We decided that we should start with two or three good, concrete projects that would form the basis of our cooperation," the Belarusian leader stated during the official narrow-format negotiations.
Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that the impact of such projects must first and foremost be felt and understood by the peoples of the two countries, showing that both sides are seriously committed to cooperation.
The President of Belarus recalled how, two years ago during his visit to Ulaanbaatar, the parties took their first major official steps in bilateral cooperation. "The current visit (of the Mongolian leader to Belarus — Ed.) will be historic in the sense that we will build a plan for our cooperation. That is, we will finalize what we started two years ago in Ulaanbaatar," the head of state said.
He pointed out that Belarus possesses a number of advanced, powerful technologies and development areas that Mongolia greatly needs. "We agreed: if you like anything from the range of these technologies and our development sectors, and if it is needed for our friendly country, we are ready to cooperate in this direction and outline those two or three projects I mentioned," the President stated. "Yesterday, in a friendly manner, we agreed that you can try and experience firsthand everything that interests you in Belarus and make a corresponding decision if you like it."
Alexander Lukashenko also assured that if agreements are reached, Belarus will be unconditionally committed to their execution. "We are dependable people—we will fulfill our obligations diligently and on time. We would very much like our Mongolian friends to act in the same vein. In the course of fulfilling our part of the obligations, we will not cite difficulties or hardships. That is why we exist—to overcome these difficulties and hardships. They have always been and always will be. Perhaps they will be even more challenging than they are now. Therefore, by overcoming these difficulties, we must move forward and fulfill our agreements," the Belarusian leader emphasized.
The President of Mongolia Supported the Proposal to Step Up Cooperation
Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, President of Mongolia:
"I fully agree with and support your proposal that we first need to implement two or three specific projects so that they yield fruitful results. For our part, we are ready to consider this proposal and take further steps."
A Packed Program for the Mongolian Delegation's Visit to Minsk
Given that the visit kicked off over the weekend, the schedule for the head of state and his delegation was designed to allow them to learn as much as possible on-site about Belarus and its capabilities. The President himself visited the Ministry of Emergency Situations center and inspected samples of Belarusian machinery. Its quality, as well as the quality of Belarusian food products, was highly appreciated by the guests.
The Head of Mongolia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Belarusians Have a Lot to Teach Us
Batmunkhiin Battsetseg, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia:
"Yesterday evening, I personally visited a shopping center selling Belarusian products. I was stunned. I know that Belarus produces food, clothing, and machinery, and I thought: why don't we know more about each other. There are so many fields where we can work together: the production of food, cars, machinery, and clothing. And, of course, we both have two large neighbors. It is a huge market, and for both Belarusians and Mongolians, I think there is an opportunity to create joint ventures here."
Maksim Ryzhenkov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus:
"Today, Russia, China, Japan, India, South Korea, and European Union countries want and are trying to build relations with Mongolia. The President of Mongolia is actually flying to us straight from his visits to Germany and Finland. This shows that the country's geopolitical position and weight are highly promising, given its mineral resources and its location on the logistics route from West to East. Sharing a massive border with both China and Russia, this position is valued as very significant for building relations with this state."
Belarus–Mongolia: Mutual Interest
Mongolia is called the land of the eternally blue sky and a land without borders—its expanses are simply too vast. It is home to 3.5 million people. The descendants of Genghis Khan treat their history with great reverence. Today, in geopolitics—just like us—they have to maintain a balance.
Alexander Lukashenko pointed out that Minsk and Ulaanbaatar share a similar geopolitical situation, as both countries are situated between the world's largest global players. "We are destined by fate to strive to be strong ourselves and to help our neighbors find common ground, especially during periods of crisis. For you, it is easier in this regard right now—China and Russia enjoy exemplary cooperation. For us, it is more difficult. As has happened more than once in the history of Belarus, we find ourselves at the epicenter of the confrontation between West and East," the Belarusian leader stated.
"Therefore, we understand each other perfectly well. This explains the alignment of Belarus' and Mongolia's views on many international issues, as well as the attention you are showing to our Eurasian security initiative," the President of Belarus added.
Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, President of Mongolia:
"We see how dynamically Belarus is developing under your leadership and your motto: 'Everything depends on us: if we work better, we will live better.' I have seen this for myself in person."