OREANDA-NEWS. May 24, 2010. Belarus and Lithuania have many promising projects which implementation could create stronger economic bonds between the two states, said President Alexander Lukashenko in the course of his meeting with representatives of the Lithuanian business community.

Belarus has been pursuing the policy of diversification of its foreign economic activity lately. Therefore Lithuania, as well as the other neighbouring states, including Latvia and Ukraine, is an important partner. "We have been trying to diversify our foreign economic activity lately, and not without success. We are not hiding this fact (which sometimes causes incomprehensible irritation on the part of our friends) that we are trying to reduce our dependence on one neighbour in terms of purchasing and buying and so on. The more so since sometimes this state is acting from the position of force, as it has been the case not once, and I am sure you know what it feels like," said the President. "Therefore we cannot let ourselves seat and wait for something like manna from heaven, for some benevolent attitude from one or two states. We are beginning to expand our areas of co-operation," he said.

The Head of State has said that the Belarusian side has projects that could be highly beneficial for Lithuania, and "not implementing them would mean acting against yourself."

Belarus has created an effective model of co-operation between state-owned companies and foreign privately-held businesses, Alexander Lukashenko said. As an example of this type of successful co-operation, he pointed to the Belarusian Potash Company. "You may not worry if you are approached with a proposal involving a Belarusian state-owned company," he said to the Lithuanian businessmen. "All our companies have been turned into joint-stock enterprises. I do not rule out that you or some other partner could acquire a stake in such a company and make it private." However, the President has emphasized that no company will be sold for nothing. "There are times when our partners in the East do not like it; they would be happy to get practically any company in this country. We do not mind, but you have to pay," he said.

The Head of State has also reminded the meeting that Belarus is a socially-oriented economy which means that investors are also required to take care of the employees of the companies they work with. "I always propose any investor to take the helm of a company for two or three years and prove that he can run it well. You may ask me how much the State interferes with a company’s in-house policy. As much as the State is entitled to," Alexander Lukashenko said.

The President has added he is ready to take decisions personally on every project proposed by Lithuanian businessmen in order to eliminate excessive bureaucracy. "If you are interested in Belarus, come over and begin to work. I guarantee you the main thing: You will not lose anything here because of our sluggishness or slackness," he said. Lithuanian business has a presence in Belarus, the President said; serious investments come here. Alexander Lukashenko has guaranteed a favourable business environment for bona-fide investors coming to Belarus with serious intentions.

In turn, the p resident of the Confederation of Lithuanian Industrialists, president and director-general of Achemos grupe, Dr. Bronislovas Lubys, said, "The time of destruction of our economic relations is over, now is the time for creation and not only in the economic realm but also in political." According to Bronislovas Lubys, it may be translate into good progress in addressing important matters.

The Lithuanian businessman has praised the high level of trade between Belarus and Lithuania. In January-March 2010, Belarusian-Lithuanian trade increased by 38 per cent from January-March 2009 to a total of USD145 million.

Instead of one hour that the meeting was initially planned to run, it lasted for over two and a half hours. The sides discussed a wide range of co-operation initiatives in such areas as manufacturing, construction, commerce and logistics. The meeting also discussed the prospects of utilizing Lithuanian seaport infrastructure for transhipment of Belarusian cargo.

Drawing conclusions to the meeting, the Belarusian President said, "We are normal, civilized middle European states, but we forget that we are neighbours who have common interests and mentality. And we sometimes forcing close doors – either to Germany or America, or anywhere else – forgetting that by acting together we could implement many of the projects that we would like to implement with some big powers."

"I am ready to co-operate with you on all matters, because the main thing for me is to make sure that my people live well. And is it beyond our powers to feed 13 million residents of our countries and make them proud, independent people?...," said Alexander Lukashenko.

The Lithuanian delegation presented Alexander Lukashenko with a souvenir, a symbolic amber ship. "May this [ship] be the first vessel of the Belarusian fleet that, as I heard, you intend to build in the future," said the head of the Lithuanian delegation. "And I hope this fleet will be registered in Klaipeda," he added.