March 27, Pozirk. John Coale, US special envoy for Belarus, has called for political-level talks between Vilnius and Minsk in his interview with LRT.
“President [Donald] Trump and I do not believe in preconditions,” he said. “I hope that Lithuania agrees to a bilateral dialogue at the level of deputy foreign ministers. We need to stop those things that hinder life on both sides.”
Coale stressed that both countries’ diplomats should start resolving existing issues and enable trade with the European Union and the US, including exports of Belarusian potash fertilizers.
Washington is interested in allowing Belarusian fertilizers enter its market, Coale stressed, citing his discussions with US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who allegedly described Belarusian fertilizers as very useful for the US.
The diplomat also noted that efforts to stop incursions by cigarette-smuggling balloons from Belarus into Lithuania have largely succeeded, with only isolated incidents reported in recent months.
Coale added that a potential visit by Alaksandar Łukašenka to the US remains under consideration, though no final decision has been made.
Earlier this month, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda rejected the idea of engagement with Minsk during a meeting with Coale, warning that Belarus is seeking to drive a wedge among NATO allies, in particular between the US and the EU.
Vilnius views political negotiations with Minsk as an attempt to break the international isolation of Łukašenka’s regime and potentially pave the way for easing sanctions.
Coale met Łukašenka on March 19 in Minsk, where he negotiated the release of 250 jailed Belarusian regime critics. Following the talks, the Belarusian ruler’s press office reported that the US lifted sanctions on Biełinvestbank and the Development Bank of Belarus, the finance ministry, Biełaruskalij and Belarusian Potash Company.
Yesterday, the US Department of the Treasury removed Belarusian Potash Company, potash giant Biełaruskalij (Belaruskali) and its Kyiv-based subsidiary Agrorozkvit from its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List.
