"There must be a careful attitude." Lukashenko on staffing the Foreign Ministry system

Photo from the archive Photo from the archive

• 1
• 2

November 4, MINSK . Belarusian President ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO heard a report on certain staffing issues within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, BelTA reports.  
Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko , HEAD of the Presidential Administration Dmitry Krutoy, KGB Chairman Ivan Tertel, and Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov were invited to the event.
The head of state expressed his desire to discuss staffing issues within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to coordinate overall work in connection with the arrival of the new minister. "I am confident that there will be certain adjustments and reshuffles within the ministry itself. Therefore, it is very important for us to determine this. But I want to say right away that, more than in any other ministry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must have a careful approach to personnel," Alexander Lukashenko noted. "This should be the case throughout the country. But a ministry is a special body. And care is the number one issue with regard to personnel."


Addressing Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov and Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko, Alexander Lukashenko also emphasized that he should never rely on personal decisions when appointing people. "As for appointing someone for himself... You know that I often avoid the term 'team,'" the head of state noted.
On criteria in personnel matters

. Before discussing the personnel proposals submitted by the Foreign Ministry, Alexander Lukashenko advised that personnel matters should be based primarily on the criteria of professionalism and reliability.

The President described Maxim Ryzhenkov as a good professional and an experienced specialist who has been through fire , water, and copper pipes. "But he still has this character trait: this one, this one, this one will work because I am comfortable with them. He has that. But, having stewed in this cauldron, he will understand that 'convenient' is not always convenient and good. He needs a professional. I told him – he organized the matter and produces results. "I've already been down this road with some: he's one of our own, convenient, and then you don't know what to do with him," the President noted.

"Of course, we're counting on Maxim Vladimirovich to ensure that the Foreign Ministry, Ivan Stanislavovich (Chairman of the KGB – BelTA), won't have those scoundrels who have often betrayed us," the Belarusian leader added.

Alexander Lukashenko also, through his own example, reminded people that they need to be given a chance: "When I became President, I didn't assume that I had to appoint my own people everywhere. Even those who were on the campaign staff of alternative candidates, who fought against me as best they could, stayed on and later occupied important positions. And they worked well for the state. In other words, I gave everyone a chance: work if you want and can. After a year or a year and a half, some fled in that difficult situation, and I rejected others. Therefore, we must very carefully manage our relationships with the team. We must understand that normal people won't just fall out of thin air."

In personnel matters, Alexander Lukashenko emphasized the special role of the Presidential Administration, which should act as a true filter before making proposals to the President.

The head of state noted that he was asked to consider a number of appointments within the CIS, as well as further afield. "We agreed (to reorient ourselves – BelTA note), if Europeans or Americans don't want to cooperate with us, why are we rushing there, why are we appointing people there? So that they can guard the embassy building?" the Belarusian leader recalled. "We've reoriented ourselves toward our main trade markets – the CIS and the far-flung arc."

Speaking about recruiting personnel for the Commonwealth countries, the head of state recalled that various personnel rotations are currently taking place, including in the run-up to the elections. "We just appointed a new head of Belaruskali. Ivan Golovaty (the former head of this enterprise – BelTA note) has been released. He's an experienced, capable leader," Alexander Lukashenko cited as an example. "They should be used on the external track within the CIS. They all speak Russian, and they also speak Russian in the places where they are located."

"Where there's a distant arc and so on, people need to be well-spoken. At the very least, they should know English. But that doesn't mean 'knowing English means a smooth road.' No, they need to be a professional, a person devoted to their people and state."
On growing demand in global markets and the ability to "package everything in one package"

: "As for foreign policy, naturally, it has been adjusted to take into account the rabid fascist sanctions imposed against our state. And, as I once told you, forget about these sanctions , they don't exist," the Belarusian leader emphasized. "Well, what sanctions? We've reoriented our trade and economic activity; we're not a gigantic state. Yes, we sell a lot relative to what we produce domestically. But these aren't gigantic volumes."

For example, Belarus sells large volumes of food products abroad, for which demand is growing globally. "We just need to offer it in time where this demand will grow. And in traditional markets too. Look, in RUSSIA,The People's Republic of China's demand for food"Decent. Even in the European Union. They wanted to buy rapeseed oil from us (and this is a large share of what we sell in exports), they are still ready and buying. And no one is refusing this. That is, we need to move in order to sell in the markets where they are waiting for us," the Belarusian leader emphasized.

Alexander Lukashenko noted that Belarus is currently developing the markets of the so-called far arc countries. "This is food. And to get MEAT , MILK - these are the food products - you need mineral fertilizers and equipment. Learn how the Russians do it , pack civilian (products - BELTA note) and military goods in one package: 'If you want to buy this, go ahead, we will sell it to you, but buy this product from us too.'" "And this is also one of the areas," the head of state stated.

In this regard, he mentioned Belarusian agricultural machinery products, mineral fertilizers, and other goods.

"A vast market is developing today. And the scale is colossal in Asia. We have expanded into developing countries and the emerging markets in Africa and Latin America. Every head of state I've met with is very eager to cooperate with us. Especially since we are very active in both the SCO and BRICS," the President emphasized.

On the main task for the Ministry of

Foreign Affairs : "The most important thing for us at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is trade and economic relations. Trade, trade, and more trade. Then there are those white cuffs and collars, representative functions, and so on, and then all the politics and diplomacy. The essence of our foreign policy and diplomacy should be that we engage in trade, trade and economic relations. "Everything is concentrated here today—in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," the President said.

Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that Roman Golovchenko, who is himself familiar with the work within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs system, retains oversight of promoting trade and economic relations and staffing. "This task, Roman Aleksandrovich, remains your most important one. In terms of staffing. And today, we have a former ambassador as the head of the Administration. As an economist, he knows production well and knows what he should be doing. Well, it's more difficult than ever for the Minister of Foreign Affairs in this regard, because there are specialists around. People who worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs system. That's good," the President said.