Lukashenko: Belarus is in favor of integration with Russia without loss of sovereignty
12:46, 9 August
Belarus has never been against the closest alliance with Russia, but any union should rely on uniform terms and equality, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the Big Conversation with the President, a meeting with the public, experts and media community in the format of a big press conference in Minsk on 9 August, BelTA has learned.
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"We have never been against the closest alliance, but Russia has always kept us at a distance. Russia has no one else, maybe you don't like it, but this is the fact. And even now, at a time of the pandemic, we have not closed our door on you while you have closed your border for us," the president said.
“Any union should rely on one and the same terms for all and on equality," the Belarusian leader stressed. He noted that equal rights for people, ordinary citizens of the two countries, have been largely ensured. "But how can two countries integrate if prices for natural gas differ two to three times," Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.
"Some individuals make hints that they understand the integration as the incorporation of Belarus into Russia. They make such hints with a view to destroying this integration, pushing us away from Russia. You are our kin, I have always pursued this policy. At the same time, we are sovereign and independent states. After many centuries we have become sovereign and independent. People value the fact. When I hear these hints that Belarus will become part of Russia, I ask a question whether Russia needs another headache? No, and the Russian president understands this," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The head of state believes that in order to develop integration, especially the economic integration, "there is not need to incorporate anyone.”
"Speaking about integration, we must clearly understand that any integration is possible, but without loss of statehood and sovereignty. We had 30 roadmaps. Vladimir Putin and I decided to remove one roadmap that had political overtones. It was done on the proposal of Vladimir Vladimirovich. He said, "Listen, if we run into it all the time, if we can't overcome the differences, let's put it off or remove it altogether." I supported him. I said that we will not lose anything, because we do have joint departmental bodies. For example, there is the joint collegium of the industry ministries of Russia and Belarus, the joint collegium of the defense ministries of Belarus and Russia and so on. They work efficiently. I asked a question during the negotiations what issues remain unresolved? All issues have been resolved," the Belarusian leader stressed.
"In Belarus, no one opposes the union with Russia, except for some individuals," the president concluded.
