June 3, Pozirk. Alaksandar Łukašenka and Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh signed a treaty on friendly relations and cooperation in Ulaanbaatar, Łukašenka’s press office reported.
The Belarusian ruler arrived in Mongolia on June 1 with a three-day state visit.
Belarusian-Mongolian relations are based on close links established in the Soviet times, Łukašenka said, noting that he seeks to “deepen and expand” trade and economic ties.
The talks focused on boosting Belarusian food and goods exports and joint projects in the agricultural sector.
Łukašenka also invited the Mongolian president to visit Belarus, noting that Mongolian officials are welcome to come as well to see “what would be useful for Mongolia.”
Łukašenka expressed admiration with Mongolia’s “tremendous progress” since 1992 when he visited it as an MP.
He also praised Ulaanbaatar’s foreign policy for balancing between the great powers, most likely alluding to Russia and China.
“I wish you wholeheartedly to be strong to survive in this world. . . The [state] power should be as hard as a fist. Nobody holds power with unclenched fingers,” his press office quoted him as saying.
Ahead of Łukašenka’s visit, Mongolia’s former President Tsakhia Elbegdorj urged Ulaanbaatar to arrest him for crimes against humanity committed in Belarus.
Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja reacted with gratitude to that statement, noting that Łukašenka must be held accountable.
