Transcript of the interview of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus M.Ryzhenkov to the TV channel Belarus 1 (11 February 2025, Beirut)

Belarus 1: Maxim Vladimirovich, the geopolitical situation in the region is not easy, but at the same time, no matter how difficult it is here, Belarus has continued and continues its dialogue with Lebanon. Taking into account the recent new elections and the formation of a new cabinet of ministers, what are the prospects for our relations?
 
M.Ryzhenkov: In fact, the situation in the region is very complicated. In fact, there are some ceasefire agreements here, which are sometimes observed, sometimes not observed. There are certain problems everywhere along the perimeter of the border of Lebanon. But this does not stop us.

We have a fairly strong Lebanese diaspora in Belarus. Over 600 students study in our country every year. Moreover, most of them return here to raise the socio-economic infrastructure of their country and provide important services.

Lebanon is a long-term, good partner for us. And, of course, under these conditions, we cannot abandon relations and wait for things to normalise to perfection here.

We see our mission of friendship with Lebanon as helping today, when our support is most needed.

That is why, in fact, this humanitarian step has been taken by our President. To reinforce our friendship, we brought 100 tonnes of milk powder and 10 ambulances. This is everything that we put into the notion of our support for the friendly Lebanese people when they are most in need.  

Belarus 1: Let's agree that we have to be practice-oriented. What is really needed, not some promises, but what is actually needed: to feed people, especially children. Again, statistics show that a large number of children and women are malnourished. And FAO statistics are certainly not encouraging.  

M.Ryzhenkov: You are right. The standard of living as a result of the upheavals that have hit Lebanon recently has indeed fallen dramatically.

Unfortunately, many partners come to Lebanon either with some kind of conditions of assistance, or with demands, or with some kind of offers of concessions, preconditions.
We came here as friends. We say: “Here is what we can do. We are a small country in Europe. We also have our own problems. But today we are helping you”. We are ready, relying on friendship, on the signs of our respect for the Lebanese people, our gratitude for those long years of friendship, to move forward both in economic and humanitarian terms.
 
Belarus 1: At the meeting with the Head of Lebanon, you conveyed a message from the Belarusian leader. How were the official Minsk messages perceived in the presidential palace?  

M.Ryzhenkov: Yes, we have delivered a message from our Head of State to Mr President Aoun.
Firstly, with congratulations on his appointment to this position. Secondly, with the suggestion of a much deeper relationship in the spheres I mentioned earlier.

And our President has invited him to visit the Republic of Belarus in order to discuss at the highest level all the issues that may be of interest to us: from the bilateral to the international agenda.

Let me recall that Lebanon and Belarus have very good interaction in international entities. We support each other's representatives in the elected bodies of the UN system. We vote in each other's favour when taking decisions on UN resolutions.

In short, we have a very good background to look forward to the future with good optimism in our relations.

Furthermore, the President of Belarus wished the President of Lebanon, of course, success in implementing the policy he is pursuing today. We have carefully read his election programme, which he is implementing today. The programme is aimed at consolidating society, strengthening the state apparatus, streamlining expenditures and raising the sectors that are vital for the country's current life. Preservation of inter-confessional peace and tranquility in the country. And Lebanon is a very multi-confessional, multi-ethnic state, in what we are even similar somewhere. Therefore, these approaches of the new leadership to building their lives are very close to us. We support them and are ready to help in the implementation of all plans.  

Belarus 1: Is the President of Lebanon ready to pay a return visit to Belarus?

M.Ryzhenkov: During the negotiations, he said that he would really like to visit the Republic of Belarus, to meet with the President Lukashenko, and he would definitely look for an appropriate time for such a visit in his schedule. At least we can consider that the invitation has been accepted.
 
Belarus 1: At least, when the visit is being prepared, definitely, and our President always says that any visit should be filled with definite agreements and concrete proposals, where, in what areas today could we could cooperate most closely? Agriculture suffered greatly during the armed conflict. We know that in principle all over the world, let’s be honest, we are known for our agriculture and food. We could share technology as well. What other areas might be interesting and promising for us?  

M.Ryzhenkov: You are absolutely right. As our President says, we should prepare very thoroughly for such visits. That is why our task today is to turn this support at the highest political level into concrete projects in economic and humanitarian cooperation.

The Belarusian delegation included some businessmen who are ready and already working on a number of areas of cooperation with Lebanon.

And through Lebanon, they develop cooperation with other states. Lebanon acts as a hub for promoting Belarusian products.

From the point of view of the most promising directions, it is indeed the supply of food, and of completely different categories: from milk whey to specific food. It is also possible to pack food here and then sell it in small wholesale batches.

Of course, it is help in rebuilding Lebanon's agricultural industry through the supply of machinery here. But machinery, whether it is tractors or hinged equipment, that is needed for small farmers and little households.

Moreover, there are large plans to rebuild the infrastructure destroyed by military operations. Therefore, our metal, products of our construction industry, relevant vehicles, primarily, for example, “Amkodor” products, may be in demand.

We think that if they are interested in our ambulances, more of them will also be supplied here. Although when we offered these medical vehicles as a goodwill gesture, first of all, we proceeded from the fact that we would rather let it serve to increase the demographic level in Lebanon and for young women in labour than for some not really good purposes. Although first aid for citizens is also a very important topic.

These are our directions. And we will definitely use the opportunities offered by Lebanese ports here on the Mediterranean coast so that Belarusian goods could go further to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan via Lebanon. These are, in fact, our tasks.  

Belarus 1: The agenda is extensive, many issues were discussed, many meetings, including at the highest level and with your counterpart from the foreign policy corps, business negotiations. To summarise, what are the prospects, what is your overall assessment of the visit?

M.Ryzhenkov: Lebanon today really has a lot of issues inside the country on which they should concentrate more. This includes the internal political situation, the interfaith balance, maintaining this balance, building an internal policy based on the aspirations of the Lebanese people and not on orders from outside. Again, building a configuration of international support for the fulfilment of the tasks that the new Government of Lebanon has set itself.

Of course, we do not expect a very rapid and intensive implementation of everything we have agreed on. But we hope that the Committee on bilateral economic cooperation, which has not met for a long time, will continue its work in the near future. We really look forward to expanding the practice of holding inter-ministerial consultations on the international and bilateral agenda.

In addition, I think that in the near future we will activate cooperation mechanisms through chambers of commerce and industry and individual businessmen. As we discussed with the President of Lebanon today, businessmen, relying on our umbrella-like political support, should work more actively on developing contacts themselves. They are more flexible, they know what is needed. A lot of entrepreneurs from the Middle East who live in Belarus today, or who studied in Belarus and now live here, understand very well what Belarus is, what interesting things can be found in Belarus, what technologies and goods can be brought to Lebanon. And vice versa. Because we are also interested in food products from Lebanon: nuts, fruits, a number of other things that are produced here. We will get to know each other a little bit better, and I think we will be more successful in our cooperation.