MINSK, 18 May (BelTA) - Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Lu Yongxiang is expected to pay a friendly visit to Belarus. He will come to Belarus on an invitation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, BelTA learnt from the Belarusian Embassy in Beijing. The diplomatic mission stressed that the visit will further advance inter-parliamentary relations of Belarus and China.

MINSK, 17 May (BelTA) - The situation in the economy and finance in Belarus has stabilized, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said as he met with Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich to receive his report, BelTA learnt from the press service of the head of state. “First of all, I would like to hear from the Government (we already discussed the matter with the Chairman of the Board of the National Bank) how the issues that are of concern to the population are being resolved.

MINSK, 14 May (BelTA) - Belarus and Kazakhstan have absolutely identical views on the Single Economic Space (SES), President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said as he met with his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev in Minsk. “Time will come soon when your good idea that you put forward two dozens years ago will not just take shape but will get filled with content,” Alexander Lukashenko said.

MINSK, 8 May (BelTA) – Belarus and the West should settle their differences through a dialogue instead of sanctions and prohibitions, said President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko in his address to the nation and the parliament on 8 May. “Yes, we have different views on some aspects of the society but we should overcome these differences via a dialogue instead of sanctions and prohibitions. The policy of sanctions is a mistake primarily because it is useless and lacks results,” believes the head of state.

MINSK, 4 May (BelTA) – Print media of all forms of ownership are blossoming out in Belarus, Deputy Information Minister of Belarus Vladimir Matusevich told BelTA. About 1,400 newspapers and magazines are registered in the State Register of Mass Media. Over 1,000 of them are non-state ones. This year 36 newspapers and magazines have been registered, of which only three were registered by the government.

MINSK, 27 April (BelTA) – Belarus and Turkmenistan confirm their commitment to further enhancement of the long-term and mutually beneficial cooperation. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov signed the relevant communique after talks on 27 April, BelTA has learned. The document reads: “In the atmosphere of friendship, mutual understanding and deep trust the presidents of Belarus and Turkmenistan discussed the state and prospects of progressive development of Belarusian-Turkmenian relations in various areas, exchanged views on topical international and regional problems”.

BYKHOV DISTRICT, 26 April (BelTA) – Salaries will be raised in Belarus to match the growth of labor productivity, said President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko while talking to workers of the Bykhov Canned Vegetables Factory on 26 April. “If you turn out more products, you will sell more products, you will get more money and hence higher salaries. Nobody is going to give the money one hasn’t earned to anyone.

MINSK, 25 April (BelTA) - The 16th international specialized exhibition “Media in Belarus” will collocate with the 19th International Forum on Telecommunications, Information and Banking Technologies “TIBO 2012” at the indoor football center on 25-28 April, BelTA has learnt. Partaking in the Media in Belarus forum will be over 40 exhibitors from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, China, Cuba, India, and Turkey.

GLUBOKOYE, 18 April (BelTA) – Belarus should be respected just like it respects sovereign interests of other states, said Vladimir Andreichenko, Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus, as he met with workers of the open joint-stock company Glubokskiy molochnokonservny combinat (Glubokoye tinned milk factory). Vladimir Andreichenko said sanctions against Belarus had been caused by its independent domestic and foreign policy.

Belarus is not in talks with Russia to introduce the Russian ruble, the information service of the National Bank of Belarus said commenting on the revived speculations about the introduction of the Russian ruble as the only payment instrument in Belarus. “The speculations about the introduction of the Russian ruble as the only payment instrument in Belarus have emerged again. We would like to note that the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation are constantly working to expand the use of the Russian and Belarusian ruble in mutual payments between economic operators of the two countries and to create the necessary conditions for that.