MINSK, December 16. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said the authorities will devise more retaliatory measures against Western sanctions.
"As far as retaliatory measures are concerned - those already introduced and yet to be taken - I should say they are not an active stance of our people. There is no spirit of war in our blood. Incidentally, it was not us who started that war," Lukashenko said at a meeting with government members, the BelTA news agency reports. "We are always open to a constructive dialogue on an equitable basis without preconditions and ultimatums."
The Belarusian leader said he was glad to see the government and the National Bank showed no signs of hysteria or nervousness.
"This business-like attitude should be preserved further on. But there can be no place for complacency. The results of any work are to be in sight every day. We need cohesion and efficiency as never before," he stressed.
During the conference Lukashenko said he would like to hear proposals for minimizing the effects of sanctions and for retaliatory measures he had asked to draft.
"Sooner or later, we will emerge from this race of sanctions and anti-sanctions, but for the time being we have to react to continuing pressures," he added.
On December 2, the European Union enacted a fifth package of sanctions against Belarus. The sanctions were supported by the United States, Canada and Britain. In retaliation, Belarus is imposing an embargo on the import of food products from the countries that have taken unfriendly steps.