Lukashenka meets with Chinese president in Beijing

• 7.08.2008, 8:37

Alyaksandr Lukashenka met with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing on August 7.

“You do not have any bigger friends than Belarus in Europe,” the press office of the Belarusian leader quoted him as saying at the meeting.

“We will continue conducting our policy the way we have in the last 10 to 15 years. We will be your strong support – I’m saying this publicly today.”

Mr. Lukashenka reportedly said that Minsk was ready to “do everything for the Chinese people so that you can represent your interests on the continent worthily.”

He invited China to set up a joint working group with Belarus to “consider appropriate issues.”

The Chinese leader, for his part, expressed readiness to discuss bilateral cooperation and exchange views on a broad range of problems at the talks.

Mr. Lukashenka was expected to visit the Olympic village on Thursday to attend a Belarusian flag-raising ceremony.