Alexander Lukashenko
Talks between Lukashenko and Cole took place in Minsk on Tuesday, 15 September. The initial outcome of the meeting became known the following day. John Cole announced the US’s readiness to lift sanctions against ‘Lakokraska’ and ‘Bellesbumprom’. The US is prepared to do this in response to a pardon for certain convicted individuals.
“As a gesture of goodwill, Belarus will release 25 people. And the US will lift sanctions against two Belarusian companies – ‘Lakokraska’ and ‘Bellesbumprom’,” the Belarusian website tochka.by quotes US Special Envoy John Cole as saying.
He described the talks in Belarus as fruitful. Among other topics discussed by Alexander Lukashenko and John Cole were international issues, matters on the bilateral agenda and other issues “of mutual interest”.
The key issue was the Belarusian funds frozen in the US.
Discussions with Trump’s envoy centred on the return of Belarusian funds ‘stuck’ in an American bank. Earlier, the head of state had publicly raised the issue of the non-return of $43–44 million to Belarus. The American representative supported the Belarusian president’s demands.
As previously reported by Logos Press, the US will return $44 million of ‘stuck funds’ to Belarus from accounts held with the US-based Citibank.
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