Belarus is ready to leave all grievances in the past and begin constructive relations with the USA

March 29, Minsk / Tatyana Polozhay - BELTA /. Belarus is ready to leave all grievances in the past and begin fruitful cooperation with the USA not only in the economic but also in other spheres. This was stated by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko today at a meeting with the management of a number of major American companies, according to a BELTA correspondent. Alexander Lukashenko places special hopes for the normalization of relations on the new US administration. "I am inclined to believe that President Obama has a more adequate and democratic view of the world, unburdened by the vestiges of the Cold War and aggressive ideological approaches to resolving international issues," the head of the Belarusian state emphasized. Alexander Lukashenko said that he was very impressed by Barack Obama's statement from the UN rostrum: "We can no longer afford to indulge our differences... We must enter a new era of relations based on mutual interests and mutual respect." The President of Belarus stressed that this approach is fully consistent with the principles of interstate cooperation that guide Belarus. "With the current administration, we have already begun a cautious conversation and are ready to extend a hand of friendship to our American partners," the Belarusian leader said. However, the President of Belarus expressed doubts about the possibility of a civilized, truly effective dialogue and interaction in conditions when one of the parties is under open pressure. "Our country is interested in developing full-fledged mutually beneficial constructive relations with the most powerful power in the world. But they must be based on the principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of another state, mutual respect and trust," the Belarusian leader emphasized. Alexander Lukashenko expressed regret that in recent decades the relations between Belarus and the USA have developed very unevenly and "have often been in a state of regrettable alienation." "Moreover, I want to emphasize, not through Belarus's fault," the head of state noted. In the opinion of the President, the targeted economic sanctions that the administration of George W. Bush Jr. applied to individual Belarusian enterprises still create a negative background for the development of the entire complex of trade and economic ties between the two states. "In my opinion, it is not fitting for a state like the USA to resort to outright economic blackmail of a still-forming sovereign state," Alexander Lukashenko said. -0-