The speech of Ms.Alena Kupchyna at the Opening of the VIII Belarusian International Media Forum “Partnership for the Future: Historical and Cultural Heritage as a Factor of Unity” May 22, 2013, Minsk.

In the welcome address to the participants and guests of the event Ms.Alena Kupchyna marked that Media Forum has become efficient and productive discussion platform for the experts and media representatives of the CIS and non-CIS countries.

Ms.Alena Kupchyna marked that the theme of the Media Forum is very important as this year is a year of Belarus’ chairmanship in the Commonwealth of Independent States under the motto “Intergation for the benefit of people: strengthening of good-neighborly relations, developing environmental cooperation, promoting availability of ‘green’ technologies, expanding the dialogue of cultures.

Ms.Alena Kupchyna outlined that commitment to good neighborly relations and openness is the basis for the Belarus’ foreign affairs conception. Belarus implements the principle of multi-vector relations and our country is ready to develop mutually beneficial cooperation with the partners from all over the world. Such cooperation is based on mutual observance of the principles of equality, noninterference in the internal affairs, respect for the rights of each member of the international community to have its own course of development.

(Full text in Russian)