Makei: Belarus will not run away from Russia

Belarus "is not going to make a U-turn, run and drift away from Russia," Belarus Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makei said in an interview with ONT TV channel. The script of the interview was published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"We remain closely connected economically, in human ties, in the military sphere and in other relations," said the diplomat.  But this does not mean that we should not develop our relations with China, European Union, the United States of America, which are big markets to us."

"One should not look at these 'body movements' by Belarus with suspicion. This is a normal policy of the leadership in the interests of the nation, state and our people," Makei continued. Therefore, those small problems in our relations with the Russian partner are of temporary nature, in my view."

Uladzimir Makei went on to clarify that he was talking about the conflict between Russia and Belarus in the oil and gas sector and expressed hope the the two countries would come out with 'normal understanding.'

News media reported on October 10 that Belarus and Russia had resolved their gas dispute. According to officials, Belarus was to pay off its debt to Gazprom and then pay for gas at the prices stipulated in the contract early in the year while Russia would compensate the difference between the contract and 'fair' prices. On October 17, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak confirmed that the deal was in place but did not mention a word about the compensation.