MINSK. Nov 17 (Interfax) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has told the German Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister, Sigmar Gabriel, that he wants to start a new phase in relations with Germany and promised that a threat to European security would never come from Belarus.
"I very much hope and am positive that we are turning a new page in our relations, which will change them for the better [...] You will never see any signal violating the integrity and security of the European continent coming from the territory of Belarus," the presidential press service cited Lukashenko as saying.
"A lot is being said about our past relationship, negative facts and factors," he said. "But Minsk has lots of positive features. Time passes, and it changes a great deal. Our relations are changing in the modern world as time goes on," he said.
Lukashenko and Gabriel met in Minsk on Friday.
Lukashenko thanked Germany for its yearly help in rehabilitating Belarusian children impacted by the Chernobyl nuclear accident and rendering technological support to the Belarusian economy.
"Practically every item imported from Germany is high-tech equipment or technology. We very much want this positive process to continue at a higher economic level," Lukashenko said as he invited Germany to the Veliky Kamen industrial park, offering preferential terms to investors.
He also asked Germany to follow the situation in Belarus and assess it impartially.
"We will be able to achieve anything if that is done," Lukashenko said.