A. Lukashenko invites foreign investors to develop new deposits in Belarus, including potash

July 18, Minsk /Tatyana Polezhay - BELTA/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko invites foreign investors to develop new deposits in Belarus, including potash ones. The Head of State announced this today at a meeting with the management of the Boulle Mining Group, according to a BELTA correspondent.

Alexander Lukashenko noted that, considering the growing demand for minerals, including potash, Belarus has enough investor proposals for the development of already known and new deposits. The Belarusian side is currently selecting the most profitable offers.

According to the President, the possibility of the current meeting has been in the works since the middle of last year. "You are wealthy, rich people ready to work in Belarus," Alexander Lukashenko said, addressing the management of the Boulle Mining Group. "We were predicted an economic collapse, but when investors come to our country, it means the collapse is still far away."

The Head of State drew attention to the fact that the exploration of natural resources is very important for Belarus. "It seems to me that we do not know everything we possess," he said. According to the Head of State, geological exploration and industrial development of natural resources are becoming particularly relevant.

Belarus has the experience and appropriate structures for geological exploration and industrial development of deposits, Alexander Lukashenko added.

Addressing the head of the group of companies Jean-Raymond Boulle, Alexander Lukashenko said that Belarus is well aware of this company, familiar with its activities, experience in geological exploration and modern methods of mineral raw material extraction. "We would be very interested in cooperation in this area," the President emphasized. "We are interested in the latest technologies and large-scale capital investments." According to the head of state, the use of natural resources has not only a purely economic interest but also a huge socio-political significance. This primarily concerns the main reserve – potash salts, the reserves of which place Belarus in third place in the world. Alexander Lukashenko recalled that out of three discovered large deposits, extraction is currently carried out only at one – Starobinskoye; the other two – Oktyabrskoye and Petrikovskoye – are not yet sufficiently developed. Alexander Lukashenko confirmed the interest in developing these deposits.

"You are one of the groups of companies that are interested in geological exploration in our country, not only in the direction of searching for potash salts but also in other areas, and are also interested in developing these deposits," the President said, addressing the guest. At the same time, Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that Belarus will deal with any company if it is capable "today to come and work, and not just promise." "You can promise, but I will tell you right away that if new companies appear that are ready to work tomorrow, we will work with them," the head of state noted. "We want our agreements to be concrete and time-compressed in a businesslike manner, as is customary with you, people of big business," he added.

The President also expressed a desire to hear from those present, including the government, about the level of agreements with this investor.

Jean-Raymond Boulle, in turn, noted that Belarus has significant mineral reserves. He spoke about his company's extensive experience in geological exploration and mineral extraction in many countries around the world. As for Belarus and its President, the investor said: "Belarus has achieved great success. I hope that people in America and Europe will be fairer to your country and will be able to better understand the good that you have done for your country." -0-