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Lukashenka meets with visiting Serbian president

Alyaksandr Lukashenka had a meeting with Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic in Minsk on Tuesday, BelaPAN said.

Mr. Nikolic arrived in the Belarusian capital city on the night between March 11 and 12 for a two-day official visit.

Speaking during the meeting, Mr. Lukashenka noted that Belarus and Serbia had the political will to develop their relations.

"Unfortunately, there was a certain break in our relations," he said, according to the government's news agency BelTA. "Nevertheless, we have achieved certain results in the economy and trade. And today we have a political will, which is why we're not beginning but picking up where we left off."

Belarus and Serbia have a good foundation for developing their relations and a legal basis that would encourage closer ties, Mr. Lukashenka said.

He stressed that cooperation between the two countries was intended to benefit their people and not directed against some third parties.

Mr. Lukashenka said that Belarus was ready to take relations with Serbia as far as Belgrade would find acceptable. He described Mr. Nikolic as a "spiritually and historically close person, a representative of a country that we had and have great love for."

Mr. Nikolic noted, for his part, that although this was his first visit to Belarus in the capacity of Serbian president, he had repeatedly visited the country before the May 2012 election.

He said that what Mr. Lukashenka had called a "break" in bilateral relations had been temporary. Nothing can sever the ties between Serbia and Belarus, he stressed, adding that they had realized their "mistake" and would do their best to correct it. Serbia has no enemies and views Belarus as a most important friend, Mr. Nikolic said.

He expressed his gratitude to Belarus for refusing to recognize the independence of Kosovo. Serbia greatly appreciates the support of all its friends as it seeks to defend its statehood and dignity, he said.

In November 2012, eight European countries, including Serbia, aligned themselves with the European Union's decision to extend its sanctions against a number of Belarusian individuals and economic entities until October 31, 2013.

As many as 243 Belarusian officials, including Mr. Lukashenka, are currently subject to travel bans and the same 243 persons plus 32 business entities are subject to asset freezes within the EU.