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Belarus seeks enhancing relations with EU

Xinhua, June 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Belarus is interested in deepening cooperation with the European Union, the press-service of the head of state said Monday.

"This year has brought a positive change in the normalization of our relations with the European Union. Indeed, we are interested in the maximal deepening of contacts with the EU and in the fostering of upward dynamics of our cooperation," the president told foreign ambassadors in Minsk on Monday.

The president named as a key objective of the economic policy of Belarus the consistent diversification of exports and even distribution of trade ties in three major directions - the Eurasian Economic Union, the European Union and partners in Asia, Africa and America. By 2020, Belarus plans to reach a proportionate correlation between these directions, the president stressed.

The restrictive measures imposed by the EU on Belarusian individuals and entities after the Belarusian presidential elections in 2010 were due to expire on Oct. 31, 2015. On Oct. 29, the European Union Council extended those measures until Feb. 29, 2016, and suspended them for 170 individuals, including Lukashenko.

The EU's Foreign Affairs Council decided to lift the sanctions against those individuals on February 15. Brussels explained the decision with the Belarusian authorities' release of political prisoners. Endit