"We Can Learn A Lot From You" Margvelashvili Tells Lukashenko
"We can learn a lot from you and this cooperation is open," President Margvelashvili told President Lukashenko at a joint briefing.
Margvelashvili said he believes there are no closed topics of cooperation between Georgian and Belarus.
"Such a spirit means a lot to us. You have really achieved a lot by not wasting the great opportunities that Belarus had. You preserved the material-technical base and brought to it 21st-century technology. We can learn a lot from you and this cooperation is open. Political cooperation and cooperation at the international level are very intense and our foreign ministries support each other in international formats.
"Today we’ve talked about the economic opportunities we see in our countries. We also talked about the transport capabilities that Georgia and Belarus should open to each other. Principal steps have been taken in all these directions. I am convinced that the firm foundation we laid for these relationships will give opportunities to relevant agencies, business, society and the scientific community for cooperation," Margvelashvili said.
The Georgian President said he also believes the most important achievement in the visit so far is the signing of a framework agreement that will provide a strong basis for deepening Georgian-Belarusian relations and determining productive and good neighborly cooperation.
The Belarusian President was keen to emphasize the strength of the Georgian-Belarusian relationship.
“We are ready for cooperation and I am confident that you believe in these words because we have never betrayed you,” Lukashenko told Margvelashvili at the briefing.
"If we can do anything for you, tell us and we will definitely help you realize projects for the Georgian people. You have to remember that 2 000 km between Minsk and Tbilisi is not a large distance. You should remember that in the West, in the center of Europe, you have a reliable base, with which you can have not only communication but also trade relations. We are ready for this cooperation and I'm sure you believe in these words, because we have never betrayed you. Belarus will always be open for cooperation with Georgia," the President of Belarus said.
Lukashenko believes that the Georgian people deserve respect and peaceful existence on this planet. “Civilization gave a lot of good things to the oldest Georgian people. We appreciate it and are always ready to offer you a hand of friendship and asssitance,” he added.
By Máté Földi