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PRESS RELEASE
Statement
by President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander
Lukashenko "Foreign Policy of the Republic of Belarus in the Modern World" at the Meeting with the Heads of Belarusian Diplomatic Missions
Dear colleagues!
The world does not stand still. The global processes change, as well as their content and character. Serious changes take place in the countries around Belarus. Our country has also gone through many changes.
Foreign policy, its strategy and tactics cannot fail to respond to these changes.
It is high time to deeper comprehend the foreign policy of our country in the changing world.
New Stage of State System Development
The consistency of Belarus in international relations is determined by its "internal health". A strong and hard-working country will achieve worthy position in the world community in any case, no matter how others prevent it from this.
Taking this into account it will be logical to start with assessing what our country is today. As it is said "what is it worth"?
The Republic of Belarus entered a new stage of its state system. Behind there are not only more than 10 years of independence. Behind are the confusion of the first years, disorder in minds, dramatic changes of expectations from euphoria of the gained independence to despair of economic and social crisis of the first half of 90s.
Belarus has found its way of development. It is successful and effective. We have not only restored a pre-crisis level of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2001 (the first among the CIS countries) but move forward at a rapid pace. More than 10 percent of GDP growth over the first half of the year is more than serious. And this is not a single surge. We consistently and stably demonstrate high results of growth: since 1996 according to the average annual increase of GDP Belarus leaves behind all CIS countries.
We earn all this with our own hands and head. And this is our, I am not afraid to say, strategic advantage. By ourselves, with our mind, head and hands, but not with resources that are in the ground from the God.
The efforts of Belarusians start to yield its fruits. The data of the World Bank witness: as for per capita purchasing-power parity Belarus is ahead of all CIS countries and leaves behind some EU candidate states.
Some interesting assessments have already appeared abroad: the Belarusian economy is mentioned among "young tigers" of Europe. But since 1995 and until the very recent time a collapse of economy with enviable constancy had been predicted for us every year. As it is said, do not count your chickens before they are hatched. Moreover, frankly speaking many of you yielded to such point of view and believed that we had chosen the wrong way, that all must have long ago been divided, distributed, privatized, "grabbed", to let the state discard all the economy, and to stay and watch this divided economy to develop in the competitive conditions. It was very hard to resist this point of view. Today almost nobody (and few remain among diplomats) in our country supports this point of view that existed 3-5 years ago. But still there are some. Well, this is their standpoint. We will try to dissuade them by the results of our activity. It would be desirable that they, being state employees, do not skeptically contemplate, but try to work themselves. We will work with such and dissuade them. And those that simply watch and do nothing, with those we will part.
Nowadays one can say: we know our own value. The years passed and their result witness that Belarus leaves the age of diffident adolescence and enters the days of mature development.
This directly affects the foreign policy: our reaction to external challenges becomes calmer, wiser and more confident.
Foreign Policy from Positions of Dignity
Assessing our state foreign policy resource and our goals, it is necessary to understand correctly the place of our country on the continent and in the world. As it is now common to say, to "position" oneself correctly.
As for population and territory Belarus is not a small country as it is often and mistakenly considered to be, this is a medium country according to European measures. At least, there is enough land for our population; we have the space for our activities.
A country with developed economy based not on the extracting and selling raw materials, but on the processing of raw material and production of ready-made goods. Belarus provides 30 percent of the world output of heavy haulers, 6 percent of tractors, a significant share of a certain type of microprocessors.
This is a country with high-developed scientific and technical potential focused on the essential technologies of the modern world: computer, information, laser, optical, complex systems control, etc.
Our economy is of an extremely open nature. About 60 percent of GDP is exported. Such an index is typical for European countries with the highest level of economic development.
Belarus is located at the most sensitive geopolitical crossroads. Objectively this is a blessing for our state and people: we are in the center of trade and transit ways.
Finally, Belarus is a country with impressive military potential. In the world ranking of military potentials we are among the first fifty states. I would not like to be misunderstood: I do not brandish the arms. Persuasive military force is necessary for us to feel confidently. Alas, the newest history of Europe and other regions of the world shows that weak countries are not taken into consideration. Nobody notice them. In the best case.
The sum of these qualities of Belarus leads to certain conclusions.
First. The groaning about our country being in 'isolation' is inferiority complex of the craven. This is lack of understanding of the openness of our economy. This is lack of understanding of our country; of its', without exaggeration, great people.
Second. Foreign policy of such a country as ours should be the foreign policy from the position of dignity, self-esteem and real assessment of the country's possibilities and interests.
Independence - the Basis for National Harmony
The basis for such foreign policy is state sovereignty and independence. How many speculations and forecasts have we heard since 1991 up till now leftwing, rightwing, coming from the West and from the East that Belarus finds itself on the brink of disappearance from the political map of the world? Cannot these people face the reality? I want to say straight and confident: Belarus is and will remain an independent country in Europe and in the world. We shall never stake our sovereignty and independence at risk, because they are our sacred and eternal values. They belong neither to the President, nor to the Government. They belong to the people and the country. So we must be worthy of these values.
We shall despite our political differences and even confrontation of all sorts of pre-election spectrum strengthen the sovereignty, independence and power of our Fatherland. We shall be worthy citizens of our country.
Addressing our dissenters, or the so called 'opposition' I would like to say: "Don't humiliate yourselves with slander against your country and your people. Stop creeping around capitals begging foreign 'big shots' to impose sanctions against Belarus. Nowhere in the world will such people that behave this way be respected. They will merely be treated as certain objects. This is, actually, being done.
I would like to stress another thing, that new reality that has been taking place in Belarus in the second decade of its independence, its national harmony over the basic values of the country is being formed. Both the younger generation, that lived all their lives in the independent Belarus, and veterans, who only recently joined us in the celebration of the glorious 60th anniversary of liberation of our country from the Nazi invaders, people of different nationalities and political convictions all stand for strengthening, development and prosperity of a strong and independent country. In this lies the pledge of the socio-political stability and of the confident future of our homeland.
The factors I have mentioned defining the position of Belarus in the contemporary world are practically the major lines of our foreign policy.
Economy the Most Important Factor of Foreign Policy
It is economy that defines country's authority, status and role not the possession of nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction. Economy is indeed the foundation of the life force in Belarus.
Strange as it may seem, but the main weakness of our force is the external vulnerability of our economy.
Let me specify: any open economy and we do have an 'over'-open economy, just as I have mentioned is affected by external factors. It is impossible to completely avoid the vulnerability (which also includes tough competition and drastic fluctuation of prices), but it is possible and it is our duty to pursue an optimal balance of vulnerability factors.
That is why our major strategic national target is to decrease the vulnerability of our economy including all foreign-policy risks directly arising from it.
This is not an easy task, but it is manageable. We have all the necessary prerequisites, including the opportunities provided by the geopolitical location of Belarus.
Our most vulnerable spots are evident. These include, first and foremost, energy, raw materials and markets.
It is impossible, of course, to achieve at once and for good such objectives as escaping dependence on energy, dependence on raw materials, dependence on one market.
However, prompt strategic orientation on a gradual, step-by-step, and which is really important systematic accomplishment of these goals is necessary.
This is our principle, this is vitally important. And all these constitute a very serious objective for our Government. It is necessary to start an immediate process of reduction and minimization of the vulnerability.
The Government should develop concrete plans of action on every of these directions, that would be thought-over with a view of perspective.
It is necessary to develop on a professional basis a line on a step-by-step minimization of every of these factors of vulnerability until we reach an acceptable level and then we can start its implementation.
Energy security is the key factor of economic stability.
I have posed a task before the Government to ensure diversification of the energy sources by 25 percent in the near future. There are three ways that need to be worked through and engaged.
Firstly, to search for new advanced sources and routes of energy supply. The Government should have a concrete medium-term plan of action for that purpose. Today we should look through for tomorrow, and even the day after tomorrow. What is expensive today might become acceptable and even profitable tomorrow.
Secondly, we should seriously lay much stress on the alternative sources of energy (first of all, domestic fuel) and on the development of high-tech application of such sources. Why cannot we utilize bio-thermal energy to such an extent as it is so successfully done in Ireland, Sweden, Finland, and Germany? Our scientific and production sectors should work on it. This is an utterly important objective!
And, finally, we should put on the list of our national priorities the reduction of energy intensity of industry and power consumption. It will not do for a country which imports energy to spend much more energy per unit of production as compared to the developed countries.
All these components should lay the foundation of modern, advanced and effective concept of national energy security of Belarus.
Overcoming Dependence on Raw Materials
When speaking about the raw materials factor, our strategic objective should become reduction of raw material intensity of production. High intellectual capacity of our country should not be an object of notional pride, but should in practice now and today provide for the transformation from the increasingly raw material intensive production to knowledge-intensive production.
Such a transformation will make it possible for us to get extra competitive advantages. Saving on import expenses of raw materials and transportation costs of goods would lead to overcoming the negative balance of foreign trade in goods and services, providing that it will be achieved on a continuous, systematic basis without using the 'administrative resource'.
This will enable us to prepare for the future better and in good time. The deposits of our planet are not interminable. Just consider the oil prices. The increase in its prices is closely followed by that of gas and other kinds of raw materials. The aggravation of price and non-price competition for access to energy and raw materials is now virtually 'in the air'.
We will survive only if we are in the advanced group of countries on scientific and industrial potential development. Our intellectual and educational resource allows us to speak about achieving this objective.
Withdrawing from "Vulnerability of One Market"
An equally important task is to make more versatile the geography of our sales markets for goods and services. Without giving up a single inch to our competitors on those markets, where our presence is vast and sound, constantly increasing absolute volumes of product sales, it is necessary to diversify our markets at the same time. We cannot and we must not put our country in the dependence on the ups and downs of economic situation on one market. Lessons of the 1998 economic crisis should be learned and should not be forgotten against the backdrop of buoyancy of demand on our production.
A rapid increase of competitiveness of our goods should become our strategic objective. We should encourage import of cutting-edge technologies and investments for the subsequent build-up of our export. Provide comprehensive support for highly competitive small and medium production enterprises that can easily meet the needs of domestic and foreign markets.
We have all reasons to be proud of our production giants. The country helped them in the difficult times, and now they are helping us to put our economy on leading positions in the world. But we should also take into account specifics of the contemporary world markets. Industrial giants should be complemented by a variety of dynamically developing small and medium-sized enterprises. Because such companies are more flexible, searching and filling in the niches on markets.
In the 1960-s 1970-s Germany made a 'quiet' revolution, aiming at stimulating small and medium-sized enterprises in addition to such giants as "Tissen" and "Siemens". Owing to this process Germany did become a leading world exporter, having overtaken the USA. In Italy such enterprises account for 90 percent of export.
Future Is With Technological Investment
Adapting to world markets we should think of the near future, where a common buying and selling operations will not promote consolidation of our positions there. Life time of this kind of trade expires rapidly. We have to transfer more actively our assembling and production based on Belarusian technologies straight to the target markets. Our existing and potential clients request persistently from us these forms of work. If we do not do it, we may lose present markets as well as the future ones
Certainly, this requires proper financing. But we cannot go without it. In fact we speak about advancing Belarusian investments to other countries. Belarusian economy has come to the stage that requires an overseas expansion. Otherwise we cannot establish ourselves at the world markets. That means the Government has to create a special tool be it a fund or a bank of investment to the assembling and production of Belarusian technology goods abroad. Today we have to launch this process at least with Russia.
I do not even speak about setting up our maintenance and spares supply services for exported equipment on the foreign markets. Indeed, it may pay not less than the sales of our machines. Without it our goods may be purchased at best once. This will cost not only to an exporter, who only loses money. The country loses the most in its image of a reliable partner.
Exporters have to ensure this significant component of consolidating their positions at the market. The Government from its part is to work out measures that will stimulate and oblige exporters to follow this very process.
Thus I will summarize a new and strong request to the Government, diplomats and exporters. We must start immediately building abroad our production facilities that are competitive and demanded in this or that region.
Transit is Our Strategic Resource
We talk much and often about our geographic position in the center of Europe. Not less often we complain about lack of profitable natural resources such as oil, gas and other minerals. But if we take a good look we will find that our transit location is also a natural resource, and not a minor one.
Do we use this resource efficiently?
Evidently not. That is suffice it to look at our good but semi-empty roads and infrastructure desert along them.
Frankly speaking, using our transit potential with maximum returns is a strategic goal as well. It is time to elaborate and implement an overall and system-defined program of actions. It has to tie up all relevant things: modern roads, transport (railway, wheel, and aircraft), different types of carriage and competitive transit terms.
Fulfilling these tasks in full can ensure achieving of our main strategic goal reduce entirely and gradually vulnerability of Belarusian economy and thus guarantee independence and sovereignty of our country.
These goals are mainly of economic character. But they are also integrated into our highest foreign policy interests. In fact these goals define the concept of our foreign policy in the new, modern and rapidly changing world.
We have economic goals and we need to work all around the world to ensure stable and effective functioning of our economy.
Foreign Policy Priorities
Over the recent time we often hear questions from the East and form the West, and from the inside of our country about what our foreign policy priorities are. Have they changed?
The answer is simple. Vectors of Belarusian foreign policy utterly correspond to its national interests. I repeat: vectors of the foreign policy of our country are where its interests are concentrated.
Our main priority is our neighbors. And our major neighbor is our main priority. It was so, it is so, and it will be so.
Therefore our vectors have not changed. Our neighbors have changed. We have changed. The world has changed.
Our Main Partner is Russia, the Country that Changes as We Speak
The major amount of our interests is still focused on the territory of our great eastern neighbor, the Russian Federation. There have been large-scale changes in economy, society, way of thinking, leadership and political elite. The Russian capital has rushed into the neighboring countries. Being large, and extremely large it cannot but to seek dominance in the spheres of its own interests. The Russian state has started stressing its involvement economic, military and political in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
The level of the practical achievements in integration with Russia is very high. That means freedom of travel, education, equal rights to citizens, huge trade turnover and significance of the partners in integration for each other: Russia is the main trade partner for Belarus and our country is the second largest trade partner for Russia, after Germany and ahead of huge China.
Potential for economic cooperation between Belarus and Russia is not yet exhausted. Nowadays Russia's solvent demand is one of the main engines of Belarusian economic growth. We have to work with doubled, or tripled energy and meet the growing demands of our Russian partners. A notion of escaping the power and raw material dependence on Russia should not be interpreted simplistically as a kind of order to leave that country. Quite the contrary, we should be together with Russia in all these issues, building up a common economic system, expanding at the same time cooperation with the Russian Federation, we have to find new alternative power and mineral sources and enter other markets. If we do not do this we will not run our economy, but the Russian market will. In such a case our independence will only be on paper.
However the core question remains. Which type of our integration with Russia would be more viable and effective? The developments of the last three years demonstrate that life time of some elements of the existing constructions seems to be expired. At best they are idling, wasting time and resources. At worst they cause political damage to the vitally important concept of integration.
Main Principles of Integration
I would like to stress that despite low effectiveness of some system elements of the union between Belarus and Russia, the principles laid down in the Union treaty (equality of the two sovereign states, establishing equal economic conditions, etc.) still ensure a strong basis for integration that meets the interests of both countries and their people.
I think that it is too early to start an urgent reorganization of the whole policy toward integration with Russia.
We have agreed with the Russian president Vladimir Putin to remove, isolate for a while integration schemes that had given no results as well as problems that we cannot resolve now (though they are certainly important, overly important: introduction of single currency and the Constitutional Act). We have assumed a time-out and decided to work together on the practical, pressing issues for our people and economies (such as power security, transport, free movement of goods, services, money and people), that is the task that we chose for ourselves.
As we buried our foreheads in a wall we cannot keep on standing before it, praying on it or trying to chisel it, which is worse. We have decided to step aside from the wall and start working on more precise issues within the present status of relations between Belarus and Russia. Probably, that is right what is needed is time, specific moment and political decision. The Constitutional Act (even in several editions), and documents on introduction of the Russian ruble, even of a single currency, i.e. currency that would be launched after Russian ruble, these documents are already developed. We need time and the exact moment. When the moment comes we, as politicians are to catch it and make a decision. Although today it is difficult to say when this moment will happen.
I suggest that our integration endeavors return to the constructive field of the both states, and construction of our relations would proceed on natural and pragmatic ground.
Then our life will show us ensuing steps, prompting new and the most suitable forms of integration. The core is not the form but the substance, the principles of integration laid down in the Union Treaty. This treaty should remain as a principal basis for further integration process.
Gradual, even not overwhelming, but practical and consistent progress on this basis will protect and ensure the interests of the sovereign Belarusian state.
There is no other option that may be acceptable from political, economic and military point of view. I am confident, and you should feel it as well, that the situation in the world and on the border with Russia urges us to follow the path that we defined previously. We are ready to stick to this path and follow it. The Russia did step aside from this course. I will stress once again that the present challenges in Caucasus, Middle Asia and generally in the entire world still encourage Russia to follow this path.
Belarus between Two Giants
In recent years substantial process with far reaching consequences took place in Europe. The most important one was the enlargement of the European Union. Huge common market of 450 million people has been created. It seized virtually all Europe. The membership of the rest of the countries is presumably nearby. The European Union has become our direct neighbor. Not just Poland and Lithuania are behind Brest and Oshmyany, but the world economic giant.
Since May 1st we live in fundamentally new situation. There is European giant from the West the EU. There is Eurasian giant from the East Russia. Belarus, our country is in between.
The world became different. Not easier, not softer, not more pinky but different. I would like to declare, firmly and definitely, that Belarus in not just "buffer state", not a vassal of one or another county.
We are not in a trap. We are not a pebble between the millstones. On the contrary, history and geography gave us a unique opportunity. Contemporary, serious, mature and independent state, that Belarus has become for the last decade, should use this opportunity and convert what used to be last centuries' economic damnation into economic blessing.
This is the main task of the foreign policy of our state.
However I purposely began with economic realities and strategic tasks in economy. Just diplomatic tools don't work there. The whole country should be involved in this work, all authorities, and all exporters. The content of the external policy has changed in the world. Paraphrasing the expression of famous strategist: external policy is a continuation of domestic policy but with other means.
We are able to do it. Look for the last 6-7 years we doubled the turnover with our Russia and we will reach this year 15 billions dollars. Five years ago we had one billion dollars of negative balance in trade with EU. In 2003 we had advantage of one billion in trade with Europe!
That means that we are really competitive not just in the Russian market, but in the European market. However we sell not just "hemp and honey" (although this should be exported as well) but mature industrial firsts (as is, for example, 17 percents of our export to Germany). Not all CIS countries can boast of it. Moreover we export the commodities that are produced there as well. Therefore our products are forced to compete in their homeland and to win this competition. Many things are being done in this direction. But we can do more.
European Union Our Strategic Neighbor
While speaking about the character of the relations with the European Union it should be noted that it became our neighbor, and a very important one. Our external policy is consequent: neighbors always are a special priority. I said about that three and five years ago. It should be remembered we do not choose our neighbors, the God does. We have a strong, huge neighbor the European Union. And following our practice, our tradition - we didn't choose it, this way the situation turned out it is our strategic neighbor.
Economic dimension is the main component of our relations with the European Union. The role of the European Union and Europe as a whole is growing constantly. If 10-12 years ago its share in Belarusian export was 8-10 percent, now the share of Europe in our export is about 40 percent. This is comparable with the share of Russia. This means dozens, hundreds of thousands of jobs, incomes of hundred of thousands, millions of our people.
The European Union has also a key value as a source of investment import to our country. Modern machines and equipment, technologies and manufacturing processes are essential for further modernization of our industry and agriculture. Not only they are being created with joint labor of our scientists and foreign scientists, not only by our practitioners and designers, but are mostly purchased in the EU countries.
Rapid development of our industry requires crediting, and from abroad as well. Its main source is the countries of the European Union. They account for 95 percent of the resources that our economy receives from the Western financial institutions.
In short, neighborhood with the European Union has the strategic meaning for Belarus. This is obvious and impartial. It would be correct to say that the main interests of Belarus as a European country now and in perspective would lie on the plane Russia European Union.
Belarus is not just a faceless neighbor for the European Union. Let's take only the main parameters. Growing energy demands of the European Union will be satisfied more and more by the supplies of oil and gas from Russia. The European Union is interested in enlargement of energy partnership with our eastern neighbor.
This partnership will not be effective, steady and stable without the participation of Belarus, which is not only located between them, but also carries half of Russian oil transit and 25 percent of Russian gas transit to Europe. Take railroad and motor road transport there are millions of tons of goods and raw material going one way and the other!
In this strategic sphere Belarus is both significant and reliable partner for the Europe. In the time of gas disconnection in February that was realized by everybody "in the chain", behind our back, in the West. Not the legal commitments, which were on Gazprom responsibility, played principal role in urgent resolution of gas conflict, but partnership, neighborhood commitments of Belarus to our neighbors to the West. To tell the truth, the conflict would not have been finished so soon, if Kaliningrad region, Lithuania, Baltic, Poland and Germany hadn't been freezing. And we were really forced to hold several urgent confidential consultations and step aside from confrontation, because the people behind us, in the West, started freezing.
And then up till the last month and the final settlement the problem with Gasprom, in spite of all hardships and changeability in getting gas for itself Belarus had been continuing to pipe gas to Europe without any contract. We were guided by the sense of responsibility our country has never failed either the friends or the neighbors. Merely speaking we have piped Russian gas for half a year, receiving not a single penny. During that time we have piped approximately 15 percent more in comparison with the average of the relevant year.
Belarus is a key transit country for the European Union. There are three points, at least. Transit routes through Belarus are twice shorter than that through any other state. Traffic infrastructure is much more developed in our country. And we keep discipline better. And finally, Belarus is not a criminal country, here the European Union and Russia don't have any claims to us, and their interests are fully observed in this issue.
The acute problems for the European Union such as illegal migration, traffic in people, drug trafficking, boundary protection can't be solved without Belarus. In cooperation with international organizations and our neighbors we make a contribution of a principle importance in order not to permit this muddy flow to Europe. If we deviate from this policy, approximately 150 thousand of migrants, which can't get now across the border between Belarus and the European Union, will flood to Europe. We don't let them go and pay considerable money for that. And you, our politicians and diplomats, while working in Europe should convey this message to the West clearly and definitely. We are not a charitable organization. It is necessary to pay for this but not to teach us and not to nag us in information wars at the minimum. And not to press us, threatening, that somewhere they will make public the information on the accounts of the Government members, that they will take away Lukashenko's money, they won't issue the visa for Lukashenko to some country. You are welcome; always say them straight to their faces: you may not issue the visa and take all my money on the West for yourselves. If they give some to you take it and consider it as my present to you.
I would like to underline that our neighboring next to the European Union is not a one-way street but a two-way one. It is a mutually beneficial neighboring.
In this regard we welcome the recognition by the European Union that degree of interdependency between the EU and the neighboring countries is high. Especially it concerns the maintenance of stability, security, sustainable economic and social development. The promulgated by the EU aim of forming the «ring of friends» and the zone of stability and prosperity along its bounds corresponds to our interests. It is directly accordant to our aim of creation around Belarus the «belt of good neighboring and security», which was put by us several years ago.
Due to that we admitted a concept of «new neighboring» collaborated by EU with a positive interest.
Proposed by the EU to its neighbors long-term high level of economic integration, which assumes free movement of goods, services and capital, also corresponds to the needs of our open economy. In fact, as we understand, it is a question of building relations, which are by the highest standards similar to that between EU and the member states of the European Economic Area, such as Norway, Switzerland and others, which are not the members of EU at present.
I don't want anybody to give the impression that Belarus tries somebody else's hat on. Not at all. Today's political difficulties existing in relations between Belarus and the European Union are of no secret to anyone. But both, EU and Belarus, are talking about strategy and outlook for the future. And it is worth thinking about and working for them beginning from this very day.
If we take an insight into the substance of the foundations we want to build our society on and common European values we will find them identical, not contradictory. Look at our Constitution. It lists even more human rights, containing patriotism and respect of the basic economic and social rights.
No doubt, history, time, and quality of development of Belarus and the Western Europe are not the same. The life there seems to be more prosperous, and for those who are rich enough is apparently free and easy. But at the same time life there is more rigid and indifferent. At least, we do not covet their wealth. We are content with our land, state and life. We ask nothing from them.
We do not deny: there is something we can learn from many countries around the world, and first of all European countries. We are learning from them and we are not ashamed of this. Well, but using a sport language, we have different handicap. Not a single state there lost a third of its population in the Second World War. No one had been living in earth-houses for 10-15 years after the war while trying to restore the country, which was devastated by the Nazi "scorched-earth" policy. That is the reason why this war ended for us "yesterday", and for them "long-long time ago".
Anyway, we have not become embittered. We are open to partnership, interaction with everybody. We work. And we have some results of our work. Due to that Belarus is the only country in the Commonwealth of Independent States that has more inflow of people than outflow. People see a real life and are going where there is a better place. I have already mentioned that this situation troubles us. Three years ago we welcomed this process and were proud of it. Now it is the problem for us to accept 30-40 thousand of people, and large families. This is an issue for us.
I am confident: after some time, maybe it will be a short one, our relations with the European Union will become stabilized. It is life. And in fact we are neighbors! And the Belarusians have never been bad neighbors to anyone in the history. The history has no record of it.
Strategic Choice of Belarus
Now I would like to answer the question that is lately asked more and more often: Do you want to become a member of the European Union, and what do you choose the East or the West?
We are not asking for the EU membership. Neither we nor they are ready for that, neither today nor, probably, tomorrow. We are not pestering Europe.
But we are offering the European Union and its member-countries cooperation and partnership. We are offering, not begging for it. We have no intention to beg. We are not coming up to the European table with an empty plate in a hope for a charity. Belarus is not a rich country, but we have something to offer in exchange for sincere and fair relationship, sincere and fair cooperation with "the European house".
We have been creating a Europe here in Belarus, and we will continue doing that. We are working on it and we will finish it. When we finish that, all unnecessary questions will disappear.
I will tell even more. A choice which some try to impose on us as a decisive one the East or the West is not the choice at all. Not for Belarus! It is a false dilemma.
We are choosing not the East and the West or the East and the West we are choosing Belarus. Belarus will be both in the East and in the West due to its economy, history, geographic location, culture and mentality where are our interests and that's where our vectors come form.
These are not pipedreams. Look around and think over:
Russia has more than 50 percent of the trade turnover with the European Union. The main trading partner is Germany which outstrips even our country and leaving behind other CIS states (11 percent). Russia has been negotiating with EU about Single Economic Space;
Belarus due to our integration achievements has already had Single Economic Space with Russia;
Belarus is located between EU and Russia.
This creates the future. This is the main strategy of tomorrow and the day after tomorrow that is the creation of the Single Economic Space between Russia, Belarus and EU.
I would like to say that creating the Single Economic Space between EU and Russia will be impossible without Belarus. This is a true and not a false choice between the East and the West.
Framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States
At present CIS could be characterized as time of the tightened search and choice.
There is a search of optimum and adequate forms and configurations of integration. Among them are Eurasian Economic Community, GUUAM, SCO and many other formations within the framework of seemingly unified CIS created by a trial and error method. A lot of necessary and useful efforts meeting the interests of everybody have been done. There also are a lot, sometimes too much, duplications, confusions, and failures of not only oral arrangements but the signed agreements. We should confess, you may say anything about the CIS, but a lot of union bilateral signed agreements with Russia are not executed.
Probably, it is an inevitable stage. The main thing for it is to be completed successfully.
What is important: in this variety of integration structures the Union of Belarus and Russia, so called "Dvoika", is the most effective and productive on the Post Soviet area.
Let's actively continue to work together with Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, to inhale a life in common economic space. The success will be if we are guided not by short-term, but by long-term interests. We hope that all participants of the new structure uniting 90 percent of economic potential of the former Soviet Union, proceed namely from this.
What worries: worries the fragmentation of the CIS territory, transformation of this space into arena of rivalry for influence with participation of external forces such as the USA, the EU, major neighboring countries. We are just being torn, not bitten and pinched any more but we are being torn to pieces. Not only by the neighboring states, struggling for the influence on the former Soviet Union area, but also the monsters such as the USA and the EU.
Belarus is not simply a host country for headquarters of the CIS. We have a lot of interests, particularly economic and energy interests within the CIS. That is why we shall support effective, useful work of bodies with our participation in order to achieve elimination of unnecessary parallelism, waste of resources, including time and efforts.
Whatever the destiny of integration transformations is, the bilateral relations with the CIS states, particularly with our largest economic partners are and will be of great importance to Belarus.
It is necessary to strengthen the international positions of the CIS. For this purpose it is necessary to have common approaches on important international issues for all of us, to declare and implement them together. Only then we as an organization will be respected and recognized.
This also concerns the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). We transformed the Treaty into the Organization not with the purpose to leave it as a "club of interest". We have made it in order to create effective system of regional collective safety on the post-Soviet area.
At the same time Belarus recognizes that CSTO is not a closed military-political block. States-participants of the Treaty consider anybody as an enemy. The Treaty is open for accession of other states sharing its purposes and principles.
Belarus considers CSTO not as a confrontational formation, not as a "contribution" of its participants to new division of the world on military-political blocks; we consider CSTO and its activity as the major condition for creation of a common and indivisible security system in entire Euro Atlantic zone.
The major component and "power source" of CSTO should be a coordinated foreign policy of member states. First of all on security issues, the control over the arms, military-political interaction with the third countries and organizations.
The military and technical sphere of interaction is another main component of CSTO which is called to promote defensibility of Belarus and development of our defense and industry complex.
CSTO is a new organization. It is especially important that it starts to work effectively at once. While it is necessary to say, that inertia of other integration structures on the territory of the CIS influences the CSTO. We agree about one way but do it in another way. For us it is not clear, how it is possible to become a member of the Organization of collective security, and then to make decisions without consultations with members on accommodation of foreign armies on its territory. This directly infringes security interests of other member states.
It would be desirable to agree with the colleagues of CSTO whether we seriously respect our obligations, or we do not need this organization any more. Belarus is for the serious approach to this.
I would also add the following. The common economic area, the so-called "the Four", and all the work which is being carried out within it, as well as the CSTO, the participation of Belarus in these structures is a sign of good will, let me say, a gift to our neighbors.
Why am I talking about this? We have been living without the common economic area and do can live and exist further. We have not gained and will not gain much from all that work over the common economic area. Well, we will not lose if the so-called Economic Union, that is territorial, economic or customs, is implemented into being. If not, we will not lose either. Why? That is mainly because our economic interests are concentrated in Russia and Ukraine. Unfortunately, due to various reasons our trade relations with other states have the level of statistical inaccuracy.
What concerns the CSTO military organization, we also do not have anything in particular there. Therefore we would like this organization to develop, strengthen and fulfill its tasks. In case it is not effective, we will ensure our security and interests in this field in the framework of the joint military group of Belarus and Russia. Here we have our interests.
We would certainly like the CSTO to be an effective organization and a part of the common architecture of international security.
The special interest for our state would represent the activity of this organization on western direction.
NATO Belarus
We also witness new processes in this sphere. NATO has enlarged twice. Three out of our five neighbors are member states of the Alliance. The fourth one, that is Ukraine, as you know, is striving to become a member of NATO and undertakes practical steps. The fifth and the main one, that is Russia, has established special relations with the Alliance and actively develops special structures. At the same time NATO increases its activity in the Caucasus and Middle Asia. The American military bases appeared in Asian states. One can not exclude their creation in the Caucasus (perhaps, it is already a decided issue). And, it must be said, this is being done not against the will of the governments of those states where the bases and military forces had been deployed, and often on their own initiative.
NATO and its enlargement, certainly, are dimming out in the context of the EU enlargement. However, we cannot discard the Alliance, which is one of the major security factors on our continent. To date we have one thousand and two hundred kilometers of the common border with NATO.
Do we need whether today or in future perspective the confrontation with NATO? Undoubtedly, not. We do not seek that confrontation, and will not do this. I hope the Alliance is not seeking it either.
Although, there should be another way of dealing with neighbors. For instance, there should be consultations before the actual deployment of military forces and infrastructure or, at least, the neighbors should be informed beforehand while ensuring transparency in order not to create excessive anxiety.
We are convinced that the border, even the border between different military and political organizations must not be a confrontation line, but the line of good neighborhood. We are ready for this.
Moreover, NATO and Belarus have a variety of common problems, challenges and tasks in the new world. I think their number will not reduce in the not too distant future.
Belarus. Security Donor
We need to think how to use common efforts in order to ensure security on the regional level of the objects of critical infrastructure, that is oil and gas pipelines, power stations, including the nuclear power plants, as well as general European transport corridors against contemporary threats. Can NATO or our neighbors ensure security of these transit routes without Belarus? Unlikely.
It is necessary to ensure security of the borders against terrorists infiltration, illegal migration, drugs, and arms trafficking, including the atomic component. Can this be done without Belarus? This is impossible, as the facts clearly demonstrate today.
Practical measures of effective interaction should be worked out in case of, God forbid, terrorist strike or technological catastrophe on extremely dangerous objects, from pipelines to nuclear power plants, three of which are located in close vicinity to our borders. Can this be done without our country? This is impossible.
And here again, we do not impose our cooperation as in the field of relations with the European Union. Belarus is a long-standing member of the Partnership for Peace, and we are guided by the feeling of the partner responsibility.
And here also, in contradistinction to some of the members of the enlargement process, we are not a petitioner but rather a donor to the common issue of security. Practically, from the moment of gaining its independence Belarus was and remains a net supplier of security, and not only on the regional level, but also in the global dimension.
In the aftermath of the disruption of the Soviet Union the whole world was concerned about its nuclear arms. Belarus was the first among its nuclear inheritors who surrendered its nuclear arsenal and assumed corresponding international obligations, demonstrating an example to other participants of the post-Soviet "nuclear club".
Let alone the liquidation of enormous arsenals of conventional weaponry and approximately ten fold reduction of almost half a million military grouping on the territory of Belarus.
Therefore the interaction between Belarus and NATO in countering new tasks and security challenges is possible not only in theory, but is essential and mutually beneficial.
It is necessary to establish interaction between NATO and CSTO. Belarus has initiated this idea as well as suggestions on concrete formula of consultations within Partnership for Peace, that is "NATO-CSTO".
To sum up this part, I would like to address one more issue. Europeans demand our compliance with or acceptance of a policy, some step by step strategy. You shall remind them, that we have undertaken so many steps so far, from our surrender of nuclear weapons, which is incomparable with their requests of amending some legislation acts, freedom of expression, democracy and etc., to conventional weapons and so on and so forth. We have already undertaken so many steps that it is high time for them to make at least a couple of moves forward in response to our efforts. This is a principal position. From this position our diplomats, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Administration of the President, as well as the Government should not move away. We have done many steps. List these steps to them. There are major ones among them, which I have mentioned, as well as medium and small ones. Let them make at least a couple of normal, medium or small steps in response to what we have done so far. There is no need to push us in the back saying: go ahead, give us the steps.
The United States of America: the Leadership should be Different
Speaking about the US I would like to say frankly that it is the world leader, but its leadership should be different.
The Euro-Atlantic aspect of Belarusian foreign policy would certainly not be complete without the perspective of our relations with the US. It is not a simple issue.
Of course, the US is the main and undisputable centre of economic, financial, technological, military and political power in the world.
The interaction with the US in all these spheres is in the interests of the Republic of Belarus.
Nonetheless, the US has clearly misused its world leadership, especially during the last years. Kosovo in Yugoslavia, and Iraq are particularly odious examples. Actually, after all that happened, everyone talks about Iraq as a big mistake and flagrant disrespect of the UN principles. Though, we stressed that at the very beginning of the Iraqi enterprise. Remember this. It was not long ago.
There is a short-term and a long-term component in the problem of relations with the US for us.
In a short term, while the US continues to try to pressure Belarus there will not be any result, I mean normal relations between us. We understand that the United States couldn't care less about it. But we do not subdue to pressure.
If the US realize that a sovereign, prosperous, democratic Belarus according to its own and not foreign recipes is in their interests and in the interests of the whole European area and proceed from pressure to cooperation, then everything will get fixed in the interests of both states.
In the long term and in a broader sense we believe that changing their style of leadership is in the very interests of the US. Otherwise, it would not be a leadership, but an aggressive dictatorship.
Cooperation with Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic States
I would like to mention once again the priority of cooperation with the neighbors. In this context not at the level of universal centers of power and interstate structures but rather with concrete neighboring countries. This is the way of life.
Our objective strategic interests coincide to a high degree with those of Ukraine and, to a major extent, with those of Poland and the Baltic states. All these countries, albeit belonging to diverse groups, at the new phase will be increasingly facing the problem of promoting their own interests, which may differ from those of superpowers and allies. This is the objective basis of our common interests.
Therefore, we need to foster active and comprehensive relations with these nations in a balanced, coherent and systematic manner. I believe, to the extent affordable, these countries will respond, thus strengthening their positions.
An essential possibility for interaction is mutually advantageous bilateral and regional projects in the area of infrastructure and energy.
Sharing culture and historic heritage is also a good ground for cooperation. This kind of sub-regional interaction will only do good for our people. In other words, this "belt", as we often call it, which stretches from the Baltic to the Black Sea, from the Baltic States and Belarus to the Black Sea via Ukraine is an extremely interesting political and economic subject. Here we can forge plenty of concrete projects and find multiple opportunities for our governments and states.
The World South as a Reserve for Our Economic Growth
The main interests of Belarus as a European state undoubtedly lie along the expanses of the European continent and neighboring to us countries of Eurasia. However, to limit ourselves to this region would, in effect, limit our opportunities of economic growth. And not only that. The strategic objective of reducing vulnerability of the economy necessitates the promotion of our export as well as credit and investment interests in the global South, that is the Arabic states, China, India, Africa and Latin America.
We are not a great power. It is beyond our capacity for the time being to provide economic and diplomatic presence everywhere. Therefore, the primary task in many of the world's regions is to identify wisely the key countries for co-operation. And having chosen them, to work there not only on bilateral issues, but also with the view to making these states footholds for projecting our economic activities into the entire regions.
We should pay major attention to the established inter-state ties and regional integration structures. For instance, from the United Arab Emirates our efforts should be expanded to the whole Gulf area and further to the Arabic Middle East, which starting from 2005 will form a free trade zone encompassing Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan.
Such an approach will enable us to combine beneficially our technological capacities with the interests of local businesses on their regional markets and to mutually reinforce each other's opportunities. With regard to the Gulf countries, for example, such activities might draw on their credit and investment resources.
On Latin America
Belarusian diplomacy has gained some assets with Latin America issues. Lately several key players of the continent, such as Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Venezuela were sending important signals of interest in cooperation with Belarus.
At the same time today the Latin America states are only at unjustified back focus of our foreign policy. I have to admit that as for now we did not pay enough attention to the region that is our natural ally. Belarus and the absolute majority of the Latin American states have common approaches to major international issues and have no ideological disagreements of a principle nature. Moreover, we have complementary economies.
We do not have resources for active diplomatic advances on the entire region. It is necessary to define some priority states. I believe, Brazil should be the main subject of our external policy efforts. Being a leader of South America it has the keys that can help Belarus open the doors of political and economic cooperation with other countries of the region.
Now is the time for definite diplomatic steps in Latin American direction. We have to establish a dialogue on the highest level and secure advantageous long-term trade and economic relations with the countries of this continent. If we ignore today the potential of this region, where we are awaited, tomorrow the real chances to get established at its market may be lost.
You, distinguished colleagues, may have an opinion that I am not speaking in the name of a Center European country, but in the name of some giant state, that our interests are everywhere. Yes, that's correct. I proved it to you. But this is not our achievement. This is, if we take this in quotes, not our fault and our misfortune, that based on our reality we have to strive for presence at the greater South, in Europe, in Russia, other large states, even in Africa and Latin America. This is a gift that was left for us from the Soviet Union. Though a heavy gift it is that great economy, science intensive, intelligent, smart, that had been created here, in Belarus. It is large, sometimes even excessive, I would say, for our population, our state. But since we have decided that we will not drop it off, and on the contrary, we will build it up, therefore we need to act in different places of our planet. We are not going there for sightseeing; we go there to solve some specific issues. And we are invited there. That means we are not unclaimed.
That is an important note, to take off the speculations about me nearly loosing reality. No, I understand you. We are not going to the places where we are not waited and where we generally speaking will not be able to do anything.
Aggressive Exporters are the Engine of Economic Expansion
Once again I want to underline: the real external economic expansion cannot be done solely by our diplomatic missions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They need to provide assistance, suggestions, guidance, and organization, create political and legal base. But the driving and main force should be our exporters. They should be truly full of initiative. Or, it will be more correct to say aggressive and equipped by the Government and the ministers with some serious incentives. In such case the work will be based on a healthy economic basis. The administrative resource with all its importance cannot solve on its own this strategic task on a long-term, perspective basis, because that is the kind of basis we need.
Speaking about the economic expansion I cannot leave aside the topic of the World Trade Organization. We conduct major state work on accession to this organization. I cannot say that we do it with a light heart. We need to solve many issues as we go. Our partners within EurAsEC are not fulfilling all of their commitments. There may be certain problems later, in the first years after accession. But the open economy of Belarus pushes us towards this and obliges to this. Otherwise we will not maintain our place at the world market. We will begin to lose. But we need to win.
But in the process of accession to the WTO we will fight for every percent of the tariff. That is our duty; we should not worsen the state of our economy neither today not tomorrow.
Multilateral Diplomacy
It is necessary to increase effectiveness of our participation in activities of international organizations, and first of all in the United Nations. It is necessary to avoid definitely passive execution of a synthetic agenda of multilateral forums, not to waste time on the issues meaningless for the Belarusian people.
It is necessary to stop such trips. Enough of these single or joint tourist trips to international conferences under a slogan that "we will show ourselves well there!" You will show nothing there! You'll just waste thousands of dollars, waste your time, leave work for a month, and there's no sense of such kind of trips. This is the reason for my thorough approach to the trips of officials. I would like to establish the same control over the medium echelon. But if you went there, than show us what you have brought.
Instead of it, among the issues that international organizations deal with we should attentively distinguish priority issues for Belarus. We should concentrate our not numerous diplomatic and other forces at those directions, where we can get not a virtual, but a practical return: financial, organizational, and political.
As fate and history willed (unlike our numerous neighbors) Belarus has a very rich, about sixty-year experience of work in the United Nations.
Next year a regular summit of world leaders will take place in New York. And I would like to ask and charge the Government with this, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Administration of the President to start right now the work on ponderable and real initiative that we will be able to state from the United Nations tribune in 2005.
This initiative must essentially change the context in which world community knows Belarus. This context must not be political claims of our enemies. Belarus must be associated with a powerful role of a state in ensuring stable development of a society, ecology of future, the highest level of science and education, mass sport and cultural development.
I cannot leave the Non-Alignment Movement aside. We are the only country in our region that is a member of this organization. But our work is very weak there. Do not refer to the fact that countries and the members of Non-Alignment Movement have changed and follow the fairway of the USA and other powerful states of the world. It is possible today to get success and definite results there. With the help of Non-Alignment Movement a separate country could solve its problems because the members of Non-Alignment Movement are very large countries. This aspect does not work out in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Dear Colleagues!
I have mentioned only the most important strategic issues. Today we have to talk a lot about integration structures, the extension of the unions, alliances, military and political obligations. Considering it over, I have been thinking about the position of Belarus neutrality consolidated in the Constitution. Of course, this definition reflects romanticism of the first years of independence. World trends, as we see, have taken another direction in many respects. Neutral states join political and economic unions, they are associated with military alliances, and think over taking part in such unions.
I believe that it has played and perhaps continues to play an important role in supporting foreign policy of our country. Now it is perceived more not as isolation, but as independence. This definition means that we have to find and ensure our own, special, unique, insoluble in other peoples and countries place for our Belarus.
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