Translated material
Union of Outcasts
Lukashenko made friends with Ahmadinejad for the sake of oil
Minsk yesterday became the scene of touching Iranian-Belarusian fraternization . President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who arrived in the country for a two-day visit, did not skimp on mutual compliments. “We have established a strategic partnership,” announced Lukashenko. “You are one of my best friends,” the Iranian president did not remain in debt. According to Ahmadinejad, the development of strategic relations with Minsk is one of Tehran’s foreign policy priorities.The Iranian leader especially noted the cooperation between Minsk and Tehran within the framework of international structures, where the parties jointly neutralize “the opposition that they want to impose on us.” “We adhere to the need to create a multipolar system in the world, characterized by balance and equilibrium,” Ahmadinejad said. “I am confident that Iran, with its rich history and culture, powerful economic potential, is capable of becoming one of the most influential centers of the world community,” Lukashenko supported him.
Tehran does not hide its foreign policy ambitions. Iran's spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, speaking to a group of Iranian students yesterday, called his country "the command center of a multinational front" opposing the "arrogant United States." At the same time, the Ayatollah again recalled the nuclear issue so beloved by Iranian leaders. According to him, Islamic Iran “exploded a powerful bomb in the world of politics, which turned out to be thousands of times stronger than the bomb exploded by the United States in Hiroshima.”
However, for Minsk, this ringing rhetoric is drowned out by the urgent need to diversify energy sources. Belarus is negotiating with Iran on joint participation in the development of oil fields. According to Lukashenko, negotiations on this topic with Ahmadinejad were successful: “You met all the wishes of the Belarusian side and allocated us the field that we were counting on. Our specialists have studied it and are ready to extract oil on Iranian territory today.” According to the Tehran Times newspaper, a bilateral contract for joint exploitation of the Jofeir field should be signed on July 1.
The Belarusian leader expressed special gratitude to the President of Iran for Minsk’s support “on such a sensitive issue as hydrocarbon production.” This was a clear hint at relations with Moscow. Minsk began active negotiations on cooperation with Iran in the energy sector in 2006, when it became clear that an increase in prices for Russian energy resources had become inevitable.
In a communiqué adopted following the meeting, Lukashenko and Ahmadinejad expressed hope for the creation of joint oil refining enterprises, including the construction of underground gas storage facilities in Iran. The document also talks about “the implementation of joint projects for the construction of thermal power plants and hydroelectric power stations, industrial enterprises for the production of petrochemical, medical and other products and equipment in Belarus.”
Minsk is counting on a significant increase in the export of its goods to Iran, as Lukashenko announced during his visit to Tehran in November last year. In 2006, trade turnover between the two countries amounted to only $35.5 million. In the near future, it is planned to increase this figure to $500 million per year. “I calculated that the trade turnover of Belarus with Iran is 68 times less than with Germany. Therefore, I think that there will be no miracles in economic cooperation with Iran,” independent Belarusian political scientist Alexander Klaskovsky told Vremya Novostey skeptically.
According to the leader of the opposition United Civil Party Anatoly Lebedko, Iran can provide Minsk with some benefits as part of cooperation in the energy sector. According to VN’s interlocutor, Tehran needs contacts with Minsk in order to create the illusion of vigorous international activity, and for this, the Iranian leadership may make certain concessions. “Both Lukashenko and Ahmadinejad today do not have the opportunity to choose partners. Therefore, a certain strengthening of economic contacts is quite possible,” Mr. Lebedko said in an interview with VN. -- Cooperation with Europe in the economic sphere would be much more beneficial for Minsk. But Brussels, unlike Tehran, sets conditions for Belarus to democratize society. Therefore, the Belarusian leadership is trying to develop cooperation with Iran.”