Συνάντηση με τον Πρόεδρο της Λευκορωσίας Αλεξάντερ Λουκασένκο
Ο Βλαντιμίρ Πούτιν συναντήθηκε με τον Πρόεδρο της Λευκορωσίας Αλεξάντερ Λουκασένκο στο Σότσι.
Πρόεδρος της Ρωσίας Βλαντιμίρ Πούτιν: κ. Λουκασένκο,
Είμαι πολύ χαρούμενος που σας συναντώ ξανά, κάτι που είναι σπάνιο και πολύτιμο υπό τις παρούσες συνθήκες.
Τα εργαλεία αλληλεπίδρασης λειτουργούν ομαλά. Δεν έχουμε ούτε μια μέρα που οι συνάδελφοί μας δεν μιλούν ο ένας στον άλλο ή δεν επιλύουν συγκεκριμένα ζητήματα που τους αντιμετωπίζουν.
Αλλά είμαι στην ευχάριστη θέση να πω ότι επιβεβαιώνεται το επίπεδο αλληλεπίδρασης στη στρατηγική μας εταιρική σχέση και συμμαχία. Η Ρωσία παραμένει ο μεγαλύτερος εμπορικός και οικονομικός εταίρος της Λευκορωσίας στο 50% περίπου. Είμαστε ο μεγαλύτερος επενδυτής: οι ρώσοι εταίροι σας έχουν επενδύσει πάνω από 4 δισεκατομμύρια δολάρια στην οικονομία της Λευκορωσίας.
Αναζητούμε μεγάλα έργα στον τομέα της ενέργειας. Αρκεί να αναφέρουμε τον πυρηνικό σταθμό ηλεκτροπαραγωγής της Λευκορωσίας, ο οποίος, όπως γνωρίζουμε, εφαρμόζεται επιτυχώς. Θα ήθελα να τονίσω ότι ο Πρόεδρος της Λευκορωσίας επικεντρώνεται προσωπικά σε αυτό το μεγάλο έργο.
Εργαζόμαστε επίσης σκληρά στις παραδοσιακές μας αγορές, συμπεριλαμβανομένης της γεωργίας. Τα τρόφιμα από τη Λευκορωσία απολαμβάνουν μεγάλη δημοτικότητα στη Ρωσία καθώς είναι πάντα υψηλής ποιότητας και συνήθως φρέσκα και προσιτά.
Φυσικά, έχουμε ισχυρές σχέσεις στον πολιτισμό. Στην πραγματικότητα δεν χρειάζεται να παραθέσετε τις επαφές μας. Είμαστε πολύ στενοί άνθρωποι και έθνη. Ο πολιτισμός, η γλώσσα, η θρησκεία, μια κοινή ιστορία που βασίζεται όχι μόνο στο αρκετά πρόσφατο και ηρωικό παρελθόν κατά τη διάρκεια του Μεγάλου Πατριωτικού Πολέμου, αλλά και πίσω από αιώνες, αυτό μας ενώνει. Και είναι καλό που ενθαρρύνουμε αυτές τις προσπάθειες και σήμερα.
Με χαρά σημειώνω ότι πολλοί νέοι στη Λευκορωσία επιλέγουν ρωσικά πανεπιστήμια και κολέγια για να σπουδάσουν για την καριέρα τους και να αποκτήσουν ένα καλό επάγγελμα.
Και τέλος, αλληλεπίδραση σε περιφερειακό επίπεδο. Κάθε χρόνο διοργανώνουμε συναντήσεις με τους ηγέτες των περιφερειακών διοικητικών οργάνων. Αυτό το έργο είναι ζωτικής σημασίας επειδή το μεγαλύτερο μέρος των σχέσεών μας έχει οικοδομηθεί και συνεχίζει να χτίζεται στο επίπεδο της περιφερειακής αλληλεπίδρασης. Αυτό περιλαμβάνει οικονομικούς δεσμούς και προσωπικές σχέσεις. Αυτοί οι αρκετά εκτεταμένοι δεσμοί προχωρούν ακριβώς στις παραμεθόριες περιοχές - από άτομο σε άτομο, από μία οικογένεια σε άλλη.
Έχουμε πολλή δουλειά στη σημερινή ατζέντα.
Χαίρομαι πολύ που σε βλέπω. Καλως ΗΡΘΑΤΕ.
Ελπίζω ότι θα μπορέσουμε να περάσουμε τουλάχιστον λίγο χρόνο μαζί και να χαλαρώσουμε μετά τις σημερινές ώρες εργασίας και θα ήθελα να σας καλέσω να κάνετε σκι.
Πρόεδρος της Δημοκρατίας της Λευκορωσίας Αλέξανδρος Λουκασένκο: Ευχαριστώ, κύριε Πούτιν.
You said the key phrase at the beginning, that it is indeed rare that heads of state meet and speak privately these days. I think we will keep this communication format running.
Even our appearance – clothes and other things, serious talks in casual clothes – shows that we are close. Our peoples are very close as well as our countries, so we can discuss serious issues in any form.
There is no need to invent anything – you and I have done a lot, and our governments have been working together up until now. I think we have identified 33 areas; you remember the roadmaps we worked out. During our first meeting in Sochi, we agreed to upgrade and modernise these roadmaps, and our governments would work on this.
The governments did indeed do very much, both the Russian and the Belarusian governments. They upgraded the format, and Ambassador Semashko reported to me today that six or seven roadmaps remain of the 33 that our governments are working on. These new roadmaps have different names now after rebranding. Most are ready to be signed< so we have a plan.
I am definitely very grateful to you for the support you have given to the Belarusian economy. I should say that this has been done for a good reason, it is not a waste of money. Belarus has a GDP of about $70 billion, and as you said, about half of our foreign trade is tied with Russia. We are Russia’s number four partner in terms of trade. It seems like an average European country, yet it ranks fourth for giant Russia. So, you can imagine how much raw materials and component parts from Russia we use in our $70 billion GDP.
This is why I am thanking you. You should know that you have not frittered your money away. We invest in back-end production thus purchasing a tremendous amount of component parts and raw materials from Russia, and that amount is ever growing.
If we implement all the planned projects that we have approved for the coming five years, imports form the Russian Federation will increase dramatically. Even though we will commission a nuclear power plant, which would mean five billion less in natural gas purchasing, we are set to build the Grodno nitrogen fertiliser complex, which also means natural gas consumption; this is why we could still increase gas consumption.
Vladimir Putin: One billion more.
Alexander Lukashenko: Even slightly more than that.
The new complex is estimated at $1.2 billion to $1.3 billion. We have experience in this area with a similar plant, and it works for us; this is why we want to increase the output of nitrogen fertilisers. We are ready to implement this project with Gazprom if you give the instructions.
Thank you very much for access to education and universities. Although we have a good level of education, young people proactively apply to universities in the Russian Federation to secure a good education. I have one such young man in my family, as you know.
We often discuss the coronavirus issue and your achievements. I keep saying we also have some achievements in vaccine production since Soviet times. But you already have three registered vaccines and more in development. We are also on this track: we will have our vaccine by the autumn, we have specialists for that, but currently we are purchasing yours.
At home we often say the subject of vaccines testifies to the highest level of science in the Russian Federation. But science does not exist without proper education. This has had a powerful effect on our youth in terms of education in the Russian Federation. Meanwhile, young people from Russia also come to us; thank God, we have no barriers here.
Thank you for responding to my request and reopening rail traffic between our countries, increasing air traffic and making it possible for citizens of both Russia and Belarus to travel back and forth. I think soon we will also reopen automobile traffic.
We have few problems with this; we are not closed in this respect. Under our agreement, you sent in sent specialists, and they found that the morbidity rates in our two countries were almost identical. Luckily, the morbidity has begun to drop. We hope by autumn or even by summer we will approach a zero rate.
I am very grateful for the invitation, for a chance to be able to come to the mountains, even if only for a short time, and breathe fresh air in these tumultuous times. Thank you.
Vladimir Putin: You mentioned financial support. You are absolutely right; this is crucial but it is not the main thing. The key is working together and cooperating in the real sector of the economy. Trade has indeed fallen somewhat during the epidemic, by about 15 percent. Nevertheless, it totalled $28.5 billion, which is a pretty big number, a considerable amount.
As to our joint efforts on fighting the coronavirus, this is progressing successfully. We delivered the first batch last year, and the next deliveries are due in February and March. But most importantly, in my view, is that we are launching it at your company…
Alexander Lukashenko: We began production with your technology in March.
Vladimir Putin: Absolutely correct. What is important is that the technology has been transferred. So far, we have not closely cooperated this much with anyone…
Alexander Lukashenko: It is substantial support. Without it, we would have had trouble with vaccination.
We have already vaccinated almost all doctors, and now we are vaccinating teachers and retail workers – those who have the most contact with people. This is why it is such substantial support.
Vladimir Putin: And the overall result is, to put it modestly, satisfactory. According to an objective indicator, we recently had 12 new cases a day per 100,000 people whereas now the number is smaller, I believe, around 10.
Alexander Lukashenko: The Russian vaccine is the most efficient one; it is acknowledged throughout the world. It is the most efficient vaccine, no matter how they troll and dig at it.
Vladimir Putin: This is true.
Alexander Lukashenko: Two or three people of every hundred of those vaccinated can experience a mild illness. We had one person, I will not mention his name, who fell ill after being vaccinated with the Russian vaccine. He was sick for a day and a half altogether.
Vladimir Putin: Right.
Alexander Lukashenko: There was just one case.
Vladimir Putin: It comes as a mild infection.
But I meant to say that we have about 10 new daily cases per 100,000…
Alexander Lukashenko: That is very little.
Vladimir Putin: Whereas in the south of France there are over 70 cases per 100,000 people. This is a disturbing number.
Alexander Lukashenko: Of course.
Vladimir Putin: You see, this is objective data, which says that we should join efforts with our European colleagues, among others. We are trying to do that; we are open to cooperation. Our Gamaleya Centre has a contract with AstraZeneca. I am pleased to note that we will be joining efforts with our European partners as well, we will be working together.
And with Belarus – that goes without saying. Let me repeat, the technology has already been transferred, and according to the reports I receive, production is being rolled out.
Alexander Lukashenko: Υποσχεθήκατε ότι η Λευκορωσία θα ήταν η πρώτη χώρα και το κάνατε αυτό.
Βλαντιμίρ Πούτιν: Και συνέβη έτσι.
Alexander Lukashenko: Σας ευχαριστώ για αυτό.
<…>
