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New Estonian ambassador upbeat on development of relations with Belarus

Newly appointed Estonian Ambassador Jaak Lensment has expressed optimism about the development of relations with Belarus.

In an interview with BelaPAN, Mr. Lensment, 44, said that bilateral relations "are developing very dynamically."
The ambassador announced plans to make the diplomatic mission help the two countries maintain political, economic and cultural relations and said that he would use and develop "the good potential of cooperation between our peoples."

Mr. Lensment's first step toward contributing to closer economic cooperation between Belarus and Estonia will be participation in negotiations on the establishment of a bilateral commission and the creation of framework conditions for more successful trade and economic relations.

Mr. Lensment, who was appointed Estonia's ambassador to Belarus last month, has yet to present his credentials to Alyaksandr Lukashenka.

The ambassador graduated from Belarusian State University with a degree in philology. He has been serving with the foreign ministry since 1993.

The Estonian embassy opened in Minsk in October 2009. Its former head, Charge d'Affaires Harry Lahtein, resigned on August 24 after a 20-year-old Minsk woman accused him of sexual harassment.