OREANDA-NEWS. February 24, 2012. Acting in the spirit of the common policy approach coordinated by the Russian Federation and Republic of Belarus, and considering the repeated statements from the USA and European Union on the possibility of imposing economic restrictions on the Republic of Belarus, the presidents of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus reiterated in their statement that use of economic pressure or coercion in international relations is unacceptable.  

Such measures create artificial trade barriers and unjustified obstacles for relations between economic actors and impinge on countries’ lawful economic security interests, which could damage productive mutually advantageous cooperation and the development of integration on the Eurasian continent. This would have negative consequences above all for ordinary citizens, the statement said. 

The Russian and Belarusian presidents declared their firm conviction that only equal and respectful dialogue can help to resolve international disputes and called for a renunciation of any action that would obstruct such dialogue.