Lukashenka: Together with US we fought against fascism, and they are blackmailing me

The Belarusian dictator complaints that the US are exerting " unvarnished pressure" on him.

"We have already started careful negotiations with the present administration and extended a friendly hand to US partners," Alyaksandr Lukashenka stated, meeting with leadership of a number of US companies, "Interfax" reoprts.

However, as said by him, a "civilized, a really effective dialogue and interaction are hardly possible in the conditions when one of the sides is under an open pressure".

"It is not normal when two civilized states which had been fighting against fascism together, are on now on different sides of the fence and are looking sideway at at each other," the Belarusian leader said.

He complained that in the latest ten years relations between the countries developed "quite irregularly over the last several decades" and “were quite often in a state of deplorable estrangement”.

“But I would like to stress it wasn’t Belarus’ fault,” remarked Lukashenka and said that "those pinpoint economic sanctions applied to some Belarusian entreprises by George Bush administration, are still creating a negative background for the development of the entire complex of trade and economic ties between the two countries," Lukashenka said.

He noted that “it doesn’t suit the USA to resort to open economic blackmail of such a little, still emerging sovereign state” .

Lukashenka underlined that Belarus is interested in development of full-fledged mutually beneficial constructive relations with the strognest power of the world. "But they should be based upon principles of non-interference in the home affairs of a different state, mutual respect and trust. We are ready to leave all grievances in the past and start fruitful cooperation not only in the economical, but in other spheres," Lukahsneka said.

The Belarusian leader said that Belarus places special hopes on the new US Administration. "I am inclined to think that President Obama has a more adequate and democratic outlook, unburdened by relics of the cold war and aggressive ideological approaches in dealing with international matters,” said the Belarusian head of state.

We remind that top executives of several US companies, such as Honeywell, Microsoft, ArvinMeritor, US Trading Corporation, EPC Engeneering.

David Baron, a senior associate in Greenberg Traurig company, stated at the meeting with Lukashenka: "We are here not for discussing political issuesm but to speak about economic relations." Mr Baron finds it important for representatives of the US business to discuss with their Belarusian partners issues related to protection of American investments.