In brief

• Belarusian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Sekreta said Minsk wants normal relations with Germany.
• He said normalization must not come at the cost of ties with Russia and China or domestic stability.
• Sekreta acknowledged that rebuilding trust with Berlin will be difficult.

Minsk Sets Conditions for Better Ties with Berlin

Belarus would like to have normal relations with Germany, Sekreta told the visiting delegation, according to the state news agency BelTA. (Секрета хочет нормализации отношний с Германией, но не любой ценой – Reform.news) He stressed that Minsk is not begging for improved relations and is not waiting with an outstretched hand.

Russia and China Remain Priority Partners

Sekreta said normalization must not come at the expense of Belarus's closest allies and partners, above all Russia and China. He also said it must not create threats to the country's internal stability.

Trust Will Be Hard to Rebuild

Sekreta acknowledged that restoring trust between Minsk and Berlin will be difficult. The remarks were made during a meeting with politicians and activists from the German state of Brandenburg, a sign of contacts at the regional level even as relations at the national level remain strained.