Lukashenko recommends appointing First Deputy Foreign Minister Petrishenko Ambassador to Russia
MINSK. Aug 27 (Interfax) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is considering the appointment of First Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Petrishenko as Ambassador to Russia.
"I think we may recommend First Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Petrishenko for this position. I also think he is a well trained man who won't take long to adjust to the new position due to his earlier embassy experience," Lukashenko said on Monday after he had appointed Belarusian Ambassador to Russia Andrei Kobyakov the head of his administration.
"Secondly, he [Petrishenko] is engaged in the formation of the Eurasian Union, which will come into existence in 2015. We can solve this problem easily," Lukashenko said.
"The Russian vector is very important for us. We need an ambassador who knows Moscow, Russia and Belarus-Russia relations well," he said.
The Common Economic Space should not be overlooked either, he added.
Kobyakov was appointed the Ambassador to Russia "because he took an active part in the drafting of Customs Union and Common Economic Space agreements," he said.
Bearing in mind the possible appointment of Petrishenko the Belarusian Ambassador to Russia, the Foreign Ministry will need a reshuffle, the president said.
"The Foreign Ministry should be more active: there are candidates to fill in the position and it would be desirable to appoint them now," he said.
