Lukashenka wants to open a new page in relations with Germany

Belarus is opening a new page in relations with Germany to pave way towards improvement, President Aliaksandr Lukashenka said as he met with Germany's Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Sigmar Gabriel on 17 November in Minsk.

"A lot has been said about the past of our relations, about negative facts and factors. But there are many things in Minsk that characterize our relations in a positive way. Time goes on. Many things are changing. And our relations are also changing in the modern world with the course of time. I strongly hope and I am convinced that we are opening a new page in our relations paving the way towards improvement," the president is quoted by BELTA news agency as saying.

Lukashenka thanked Germany for every year's help in rehabilitating Belarusian children from the areas affected by the Chernobyl nuclear accident. He also expressed gratitude for technologial assistance to Belarusian economy. "Cutting-edge equipment and technologies account for a lion's share of the import from Germany, " Belarusian president stressed. 

He encouraged the German side to pay attention to the Great Stone industrial park which guarantees the most preferential coditions for investors. 

Lukashenka also asked Germany to follow the situation in Belarus and evaluate it objectively. He assured the German foreign minister that "from the territory of Belarus you will never get any signal about the violation of the integrity and security of the European continent."