Belarus Headlines

Lukashenko Reiterates Desire to Improve Relations with EU President Alexander Lukashenko said he counts on France's assistance in helping intensify the dialogue between Belarus and the European Union. "Belarus is interested in intensifying cooperation with the French Republic, primarily because o f France's significant role in t he political and economic life of Europe," Lukashenko said when receiving new French Ambassador to Belarus Mireille Musso. The Belarusian president said that "France could be counted on to assume a balanced position in a comprehensive dialogue between Belarus and the European Union." "Our country has repeatedly state d its willingness for open coopera tion with Europe on the basis of mutual respect and benefits," Lukashenko said. For his part, the French diplomat told journalists that France, along with other EU countries, w as ready to develop relations with Belarus. "We hope that each party would abide by the commitments that followed the meeting between Belarus and the European trio in December 2006," Musso said.