OREANDA-NEWS. On 24 April 2009 was announced, that the key problem of the Russian-Belarusian relations is the fact that the Russian market is closed to Belarusian goods, which runs counter to the official policy of the Russian Federation, President Alexander Lukashenko said during his meeting with Governor of Russia’s Leningrad Region Valery Serdyukov in Minsk.

Lukashenko referred to the decisions made at the London G20 Summit that the most developed countries must not close their markets to emerging economies. “If 80% of the global market, including Russia, closes to the remaining 20%, such countries with export-oriented economy like Belarus will find it very hard to survive. So we decided to overcome the crisis together and remain open. We do not want any preferences, but fair competition,” the president said.

Belarus is interested in the European Union, because Europe accounts for up to 50% of Belarus’ trade. “That’s it, Lukashenko did not “sell the country to the West”, like Russian papers write. If the EU pressurizes us, we can understand it, but when they say Russia blocks our supplies, how can we understand each other?” Lukashenko said.

He referred to dairy and sugar supplies to Russia. “Even if we sold everything we make to Russian consumers, Russia would not suffer a bit,” the president said. According to him, if these problems are played down, the Russian media will never mention them.

Belarus and Russia lack transparency, Lukashenko believes. He said there were no opponents of integration with Russia in the Belarusian administration. “If I make comments on the Belarusian-Russian relations, I’m always frank and sincere, and I do not change my position for the CIS or EurAsEC meetings. We have no secrets in bilateral relations. The only difference is that the Russian administration does not criticize me in public, whereas I tend to speak about our problems openly,” he said.

It is time regions joined in the dialogue, Lukashenko believes. “I know it is not simple, but Lukashenko will not always be there for you, and you may lose Belarus forever,” he said.

“They started reproaching us for taking a USD 2 billion loan from the IMF. The IMF lent on favorable terms, while Russia pumped USD 10 billion out of the Belarusian economy over the past two years by tripling the gas price and imposing an illegal crude oil duty. Also, Russia agreed to extend a USD 2 billion loan at an exorbitant rate. We could destroy everything we have, but Belarus will keep struggling for Russia not to lose it. I don’t think Russia is indifferent to the fate of Belarus,” Lukashenko said.