Foreign minister: We can't leave Belarus without oil
(Belarus') cooperation with Venezuela is not an attempt to fall out with Russia, Belarusian foreign minister Sergei Martynov said in an interview with Vybor (Choice) talk show on ONT TV on March 25. The minister said Belarus has not changed its vector of cooperation (meaning Russia), but since the country's leadership cannot leave the country without oil, it is looking for pol wherever it is available.
"We have come to Venezuela not because we have good political ties with Venezuela", Belapan quotes Martynov as saying. "We are coming there, because we have competitive services in the field of oil drilling and the services associated with oil exploration. If we were not competitive we would not have been able to work there despite our good relations".
Talking about US-Belarus relations, Martynov said they were in the stage of rethinking. According to the minister, Belarus and the United States understand clearly that the current relations do not satisfy either of the countries. "It is a very complicated process. The thing is that we have accumulated so big hurdles in our relations that it is quite difficult to overcome them", Martynov said.
"We have come to Venezuela not because we have good political ties with Venezuela", Belapan quotes Martynov as saying. "We are coming there, because we have competitive services in the field of oil drilling and the services associated with oil exploration. If we were not competitive we would not have been able to work there despite our good relations".
Talking about US-Belarus relations, Martynov said they were in the stage of rethinking. According to the minister, Belarus and the United States understand clearly that the current relations do not satisfy either of the countries. "It is a very complicated process. The thing is that we have accumulated so big hurdles in our relations that it is quite difficult to overcome them", Martynov said.
