The newly appointed ambassador to Belarus, Dmitry Mezentsev, has told reporters that he was expecting “interesting work, involvement of the embassy team in a huge interconnected and multifaceted activity” to expand bilateral relations.
According to BelTA, Mezentsev said that when he was appointed ambassador, he received the following instructions from his superiors:
“To do everything possible so that the scale and depth of relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus are even more productive, so that people would feel it, that the traditions of fraternal peoples would strengthen, national Slavic culture, economic interaction, the ability and willingness to learn from each other the best experience”, – said the diplomat.
Answering the question whether he intends to continue working in the same style as the previous ambassador, Mikhail Babich, Mezentsev noted that he cannot compare his work style with the style of the previous head of the Russian diplomatic mission because he had not worked with him before.
“We need to consider arguments through the prism of strategic partnership and the amazing practice of long-term relations that our nations, representatives of regional authorities, have built. This is the most important result. Not to see it, to underestimate it is wrong,” he stressed.
The ambassador assured that he watches very closely the mood and opinion of the Belarusian society.
“With regard to the dangers and tension that you pointed out — we should be most careful with it. How to deal with this? Only through more openness, explaining what sometimes seems to be unsaid, explaining the steps that allow a better understanding of the partner,” he said.
The previous Russian ambassador, Mikhail Babich, was recalled from Minsk after his conflict with the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, when the sides exchanged rather sharp remarks. On May 10, Babich left Minsk.
