President of the Republic of Belarus Presented New Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Personnel of the Ministry

On August 22, 2012 the President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko presented Vladimir Makei as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus to the diplomatic personnel of the Ministry.

Decree on appointment of Vladimir Makei to the post of the Minister of Foreign Affairs was signed on August 20.

During the ceremony, the President noted the high professional qualities and the significant contribution of Sergei Martynov to the foreign policy of the Republic of Belarus, and personally decorated Sergei Martynov with the Order of the Fatherland of the third degree.

The President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko noted that the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vladimir Makei has a strong diplomatic background with previous experience at the Ministry and in the diplomatic missions of Belarus abroad.

In his speech, the President of the Republic of Belarus highlighted the main tasks for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the next year.

Among the priority areas the President mentioned the promotion of foreign trade and economic relations, search for new partners and diversification of trade, improvement of the foreign service human resources policy, distribution of country information and strengthening the positive image of Belarus.

A.Lukashenko named the strategic vectors of the Belarusian foreign policy, mentioning Russia and the Common Economic Space in the first place.

The President also underlined the role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in organizing respectful and constructive dialogue with all foreign representatives, interested in the elections campaign in the Republic of Belarus, including foreign mass media and international observers.

The Head of the Belarusian State noted that he expects to review the results of the activities of the Foreign Ministry in indicated priority areas at the general meeting with the heads of the Belarusian diplomatic missions next year and wished the new Minister and all employees of the Ministry every success in their work.