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Lukashenka: Russia ready provide over $6 billion in support of Belarus

Alyaksandr Lukashenka told Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich at their meeting in Minsk on Tuesday that he had just talked to Dmitry Medvedev over the phone and the Russian president had said to him that Moscow was ready to support Belarus with more than $6 billion, BelaPAN said.

According to the presidential press office, the Belarusian leader said that Mr. Medvedev had phoned him and said that Russia could urgently provide a loan of some $3.1 billion to stabilize the exchange rate of the Belarusian rubel, if Minsk signed an “appropriate agreement.”

In addition, Mr. Lukashenka said, Russia is ready to pay some $3 billion for future deliveries of Belarusian goods.

“All this totals more than $6 billion, which will be enough this year for not only stabilization but also for having substantial gold and foreign exchange reserves,” Mr. Lukashenka said.

Despite some problems, the Belarusian economy is on the rise, Mr. Lukashenka said, noting that GDP was up 12.3 percent compared with the same period in 2010. “Of course, we are a little short of funds, as there still are high prices for oil, raw materials, components and so on. This is beyond our control,” Mr. Lukashenka said. “But these are temporary difficulties and I would like the government and the National Bank not to overdo borrowing funds because they will have to be repaid. That’s why the idea is that we should live within our means.”

Mr. Lukashenka noted that he had made a week-long tour of agricultural companies for the special purpose of seeing how things were going there. “There is no disaster there,” he said. “The companies operate steadily and normally. As for what is going on in the exchange and consumer markets in the country in general, I would like to hear about this from you.”

“If necessary, I’m ready to put aside all my affairs and get involved in this issue,” Mr. Lukashenka said. “I can attend to this issue if you want. If the situation is still controllable and you see prospects, then we will not rush into decisions and will act calmly in this respect.”