When the leaders of such countries as Bolivia or Sri-Lanka visit Belarus we should rather view it as their business and working trips than consider it a win in Belarusan foreign politics.

Such an opinion voiced Uladzimir Matskevich, the Head of the Board of the International Consortium “EuroBelarus”.

Let us recall that recently the Evo Morales, the President of Bolivia , came on official visit to Belarus. Earlier Mahinda Radzhapaksa, the President of Sri-Lanka also paid Belarus such a visit. Meanwhile Belarusan Prime Minister Mikhail Miasnikovich went on an official visit to Mongolia. Is there any pattern in such international contacts of Belarus’ chief executive officers?

“With all the problems in relations with our powerful and world-influential neighbors we don’t have anything else to do than come to meet the leaders of the countries who don’t worry about their reputation too much” Uladzimir Matskevich said.

He noticed that “over many years Belarus is working either with the rogue states of with the countries where we can get something Europe can’t give us because of our bad reputation.”

He also stated that we shouldn’t be mistaken by the scale of Bolivia, as this country has poor economy and small market. “The greatness of the country is determined not by its territory or its population, but by its work and the activity of its citizens. Of course, Bolivia is not worse than the other countries; however, we shouldn’t pass the desirable for reality,” highlighted Uladzimir Matskevich.

Introduction of visa-free zone with Mongolia is even more surprising. “When hundreds thousand Belarusans are visiting Poland and Lithuania, Belarusan authorities do not haste to liberalize visa regime,” recalled Uladzimir Matskevich: “Whereas the countries of Latin America and Mongolia, where Belarus hardly fly, introduce visa-free regime. It is just one more evidence of poorly thought-out foreign policy.”

According to Uladzimir Matskevich, economic effect achieved through cooperation with distant countries is unable to set off losses achieved upon conflicts with our closest neighbors — Russia and the European Union: “Fall in prices of potash fertilizers cannot be compensated by selling sunflower seeds.”

It turns out that the visits of leaders from distant countries are designed for show.

“It is not even visits that are demonstrative; they do have insufficient effect on the Belarusan economy and basically no effect on the political image of the country,” remarked Uladzimir Matskevich: “However, it is over-exaggerated and pompous media coverage that serve as a reason for our discussion here. When the leaders of such countries as Bolivia or Sri-Lanka visit Belarus we should take absolutely different attitude towards it, and rather view it as their business and working trips than consider it a win in Belarusan foreign politics.”