MINSK, February 3. /TASS/. Belarus has never been against integration processes with Russia as part of the Union State and other countries in the Eurasian Economic Union, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told reporters on Friday.
"We have never been against integration processes, we initiated them ourselves," Lukashenko said, adding that the mass media reports that Belarus is allegedly leaving the Union State or the EAEU are a "hoax story."
- Lukashenko says Belarus will go to court in oil and gas dispute with Russia
- Lukashenko accuses Russia of violating border agreement
- Belarusian leader orders criminal probe against Russian agriculture watchdog head
- Senator says introducing border controls not to affect Russian, Belarusian citizens
- FSB head orders to set up border zones in Russian regions neighboring Belarus
The Belarusian leader noted that these reports had been earlier refuted.
"We are not Ukraine, we are not seeking membership in NATO," Lukashenko stressed, adding that Belarus and Russia have a lot in common.
Speaking on the current problems in bilateral relations, first of all in the oil and gas sector and supplies of foodstuffs, the Belarusian president said he does not want a "conflict on the top" to move down. "One should never offend Russians," he said.
The EAEU is an economic bloc that came into force in January 2015, bringing together Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. The leaders of Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and Kazakhstan signed the Customs Code in St. Petersburg in late December 2016. Lukashenko has not so far inked the document. He only approved a draft agreement on the Customs Code of the EAEU as a basis for holding talks.