DOPESHEET:

Belorussian Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich participates in Lithuanian-Belarusian economic forum and says cooperation will bring more benefit than isolation.

Relations with the EU's eastern neighbors will be one of the key issues on the Lithuanian EU Presidency's agenda in the second half of this year. The EU Eastern Partnership summit in November in Vilnius will be dedicated for the issue.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius noted that Belarusian Prime Minister could also be invited to the summit, but did not make any political comments in the business forum.

Contrary to the President Alexander Lukashenko and his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Myasnikovich is not on the EU's blacklist of persons who are banned from entering EU member states due to their involvement in repressions against the opposition.

Butkevicius says Belarus sees Lithuania as a certain bridge to the EU and noted that he discussed mainly economic issues during the forum.

Lithuanian-Belarus business forum was organized in seaport Klaipeda, which also serves as a gate to Belarusian trade.

SHOTLIST:

Myasnikovich and Butkevicius arrives at the forum

Vs of the business forum

Soundbite (Belarusian), MIKHAIL MYASNIKOVICH, Belarussian Prime Minister:
Common projects will be more useful than isolation. And that is confirmed in practice. There are 500 companies working in Belarus with Lithuanian capital. Trade between our countries doubled during last five years, last year it was 100 million dollars in goods and services.

More of Myasnikovich and Butkevicius in the forum

Soundbite (Lithuanian), ALGIRDAS BUTKEVICIUS, Lithuanian Prime Minister:
And it was said about Klaipeda that is a bridge for Belorussian trade to European Union countries. (Reporter asks about political aspects) I think it was a good agreement that we did not addressed political questions, we talked about development of economy. Thank you.

Vs of Klaipeda seaport

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