“No serious failures that could negatively affect the destiny of our state were allowed.”

No serious failures that could negatively affect the country have been allowed in the foreign policy of Belarus, Aliaksandr Lukashenka as he presented new Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makiej.

Uladzimir Makiej was appointed the new foreign minister on 20 August 20.

“I haven’t analyzed how our allies and adversaries responded to it. I would like to state my view. After working for nearly ten years as the foreign minister, comparatively a long time ago Siarhiej Martynau said he would like to change the job. It was his initiative. From my point of view, it looked very decent, manlike, particularly his motivation,”

Lukashenka said.

“It is rather important where Siarhiej Martynau will work because he is no stranger for me personally and for the country. He has done a lot for the development of the agency in charge of foreign policy and foreign trade,”

said Aliaksandr Lukashenka.

Praising professional qualities of Siarhiej Martynau, he stressed:

“He is a rational man. I have never been allergic to him and his actions. Moreover, you probably know about it, I’ve been trying to get him involved in duties outside his profile, in things that have to be analyzed. I hope it was not only his work but the work of the entire Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

Aliaksandr Lukashenka remarked that for a long time he had been deliberating who would step into the office of the foreign minister after Siarhiej Martynau quit. Addressing the present heads of departments and personnel of the Foreign Ministry, he underlined:

“With the new minister you may be able to generate the ideas we need not only in the foreign policy area but inside the state.”

“It is the quality and effectiveness of your work that determine how our young sovereign independent state is recognized across the globe, primarily, in relevant parts of the planet.”

Aliaksandr Lukashenka said:

“I should mention that in the area of foreign policy we have not allowed serious failures that could negatively affect the destiny of our state. And we did that despite the huge pressure exercised by individual countries because of our independent foreign policy and the desire to protect our national interests.”

Aliaksandr Lukashenka conferred an Order of Fatherland, Third Class upon Siarhiej Martynau for many years of his work in the area of foreign policy and the advancement of international relations of Belarus.

Presenting new Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makiej, Lukashenka emphasized:

“I don’t think I have to do a lot to present the new minister before you. You know Uladzimir Makiej. He has left a mark not only in the Foreign Ministry office but in diplomatic missions of Belarus outside the country. It is possible that his potential might have been used more widely in foreign policy in any capacity.”

“It is no secret to you that I have involved him in some foreign policy initiatives. Following my instructions he has met with many leaders both in the East and the West in a bid to normalize our relations, particularly those in the West, in particularly acute periods. And he was able to do it,”

said the President.

BelTA