A. Lukashenko: one must go to the elections with good and offer good to the people

November 26, Minsk /BELTA/. On November 25, in an interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko answered more than 30 questions concerning Belarus's relations with the European Union and France, Belarusian-Russian cooperation, and the overall foreign policy pursued by the Belarusian state. BELTA was informed about this by the press service of the head of state. Alexander Lukashenko also touched upon the upcoming presidential elections in Belarus and gave restrained characteristics of some opposition candidates for this high office and an assessment of their actions. Speaking about Belarus's relations with the European Union, the President stated that the policy of conditions from the EU will never find understanding in Belarus. When asked by the publication's journalist if the country's leadership was disappointed with the European Union's attitude towards Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko said: "We are more than disappointed. We sometimes don't understand at all what the European Union wants." "We are doing everything to have normal relations with our western neighbor. All our initiatives, not only recent ones but also previous ones, have been aimed at establishing good relations with the EU. Why the European Union reacts to our initiatives in this way is again a question for them, not for us," the President said. At the same time, the head of the Belarusian state noted: "We are good students, we are ready to learn from you everything that corresponds to the interests of the Belarusian people, and that does not create problems for our neighbors, i.e., the European Union, Ukraine, Russia, and other peoples of the world. We are ready to learn from you in this direction." "But the European Union's policy, aimed at constantly keeping us in suspense and setting conditions for us, or even pushing us to actions that we are, to put it mildly, not ready for due to objective reasons, - this policy will never find understanding in our country," the President emphasized. "The European Union must take this into account." "I think that if French President Nicolas Sarkozy were asked such a question and France were in the same situation as Belarus, he would answer exactly the same," the Belarusian leader remarked. Alexander Lukashenko stressed that he will always act in the interests of the Belarusian state and people. "We have a country, we have a people, we have declared that this Belarusian state will be sovereign and independent. The West supports this. Therefore, we will ensure our sovereignty and independence and act primarily in the interests of the Belarusian people, because we, as a country and the people living in this country, have our own interests, and these interests, no one can reproach us for this, do not contradict the European Union in any way." The head of the Belarusian state also noted that Belarus is ready to establish relations with the EU in any format: "Let's establish relations. If you want, within the framework of the 'Eastern Partnership', if you want, directly European Union - Belarus, if you want, France-Belarus, as you find convenient." As for Belarusian-French relations, Alexander Lukashenko confirmed his intention to further develop them. "We would like to develop relations with the French Republic and will develop them. But all this depends not on us, but on you. If you have the desire and aspiration to cooperate with Belarus, we will immediately respond to it," he emphasized. Alexander Lukashenko also expressed his opinion on the current stage of relations between Belarus and Russia. He stressed that the relations between Belarus and Russia "are as they were, and remain so." "There is no sharp deterioration of relations, because neither Russia nor we need it," the head of state noted, adding that Russia has military-political, strategic interests in Belarus. At the same time, he does not believe that the Russian leadership still has plans to include Belarus in Russia. "You probably know well that the Russian leadership wanted to include Belarus in Russia, you have heard this. But I don't think that the Russian leadership still adheres to these goals," the President told the French publication's journalist. "But Russia makes the same mistakes as the European Union. We must take into account the realities. We must take into account that there is a state and a people, the Belarusian state and the Belarusian people. And for any President, whoever is here, it is sacred to protect these interests," the President emphasized. "The whole complexity is that we are located between these two huge 'monsters': the European Union and Russia. And each has its own interests on the territory of Belarus," the Belarusian leader said. "We agree that both you and Russia have your interests on our land. But we always ask and demand from our partners that they also take into account our interests, those of the Belarusian people, and understand that people live here and a state exists." As for the reasons for the failed meeting between the President of Belarus and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during his visit to Minsk, Alexander Lukashenko noted: "We did not plan this meeting." The head of state also touched upon the upcoming presidential elections in Belarus. He said that he has facts about Russia financing some opposition candidates for the post of head of the Belarusian state. When asked by the newspaper's journalist if Russia is helping part of the Belarusian opposition, Alexander Lukashenko said: "This is true, and we know it. We have facts. Uladzimir Niakliayeu, Andrei Sannikov are people who are financed by Russia today." According to the head of the Belarusian state, the current opposition candidates are not ready to conduct an election campaign. "If the presidential campaign is an illusion for them, then please, they have the right not to participate in this illusion. And if they are real politicians, they must take responsibility and fight for this post. In my opinion, they are not ready to conduct an election campaign," he said. Alexander Lukashenko said that he had heard the speeches of some candidates for the highest post in the country. In his opinion, one should go to the elections with good intentions and offer good to the people. "So much malice, as emanates from them today, will only lead to the fact that they will scare people and achieve that people will not vote for them at all," he said. "Therefore, pouring out this malice to the people from the screen is not a Belarusian way," the President added. Speaking about the possibility of cooperation between the authorities and the opposition, Alexander Lukashenko did not rule out such a situation. However, according to him, the starting point should be the improvement of people's lives. "I am the President of the country and I represent the entire people today. If any citizen or group of people, or any party finds it convenient and wants to cooperate with the current government, including the President, you are welcome. The basis for this should be primarily the improvement of people's lives," he said. "Our so-called opposition currently acts from the position of 'the worse, the better': the worse for the people, the better for them. On such grounds, I intend to cooperate not only with the opposition, but also with any other citizens of Belarus or foreign states. My goal is to improve people's lives, not to worsen them," Alexander Lukashenko emphasized. At the same time, he noted: "If the oppositionists want and are ready to act in line with the policy that is currently being pursued in Belarus, and they are capable of working in some position according to their abilities, you are welcome." Le Figaro is the largest French daily general newspaper. More than ten periodicals belonging to the Le Figaro group hold leading positions in the French press industry. The newspaper was founded in January 1826. Currently, the circulation of Le Figaro is about 400,000 copies. -0-