Fares Signs Three Cooperation Agreements
Official Reception
Closed-Door Session
Extended Round of Talks
Talks with Belarus Parliament Speaker
The Memorial& the Lebanese Community
The Dinner Banquet


Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Issam Fares moved with the Lebanese President and delegation to the last leg of their official trip, Belarus. Fares paid visit to the Orthodox Sect Compound in Minsk where he met the Archbishop of Belarus for Greek Orthodox Vilaret Vkhroniev with whom he held discussions over bilateral cooperation and the situation of the Greek Orthodox sect in both countries.

In the beginning of the visit, the Archbishop of Belarus and the bishops accompanied Deputy Prime Minister Issam Fares in a tour that started from the archeological church of the Convent where they raised their prayers before touring the Orthodox Sect Compound. Fares listened carefully to explanations about this modern project which is a twinning project for a similar project in Germany. It had been inaugurated two years ago by Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II as a house of mercy that hosts old people and people in need.

The tour ended by consultations held between Fares and Archbishop Vilaret Vkhroniev and the bishops at the Archbishop’s special wing.

Fares Signs Three Cooperation AgreementsFares took part in the talks held by the Lebanese President and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk during which both parties showed a common interest to develop bilateral cooperation and raise their volume of trade exchange. This interest has been embodied in the signature of four agreements in the arenas of education, science, art, and military affairs.

Fares had signed three agreements with Belarus Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov:

• A cultural and artistic agreement
• A cooperation agreement in the educational field
• A scientific and technical cooperation agreement between the National Academy of Sciences in Belarus and the National Council for Scientific Research in Lebanon

The fourth agreement in technical military cooperation was signed by Defense Minister Mahmoud Hammoud and his Belarus homologue.


Official ReceptionFares, the Lebanese President, and the First Lady had made his arrival at Minsk International Airport, accompanied by the members of the Lebanese delegation which includes: Minister of State Abdel Rahim Mrad, the Defense Minister Mr. Mahumud Hammud, the Director General of State Security Major General Staff Edward Mansour, the President of the Press Association Mr. Mohammed Baalbaki, and the head of the Lebanese Editors Syndicate Mr. Melhem Karam. After their arrival, they headed to the Presidential Palace where they received a warm welcome, followed by a closed-door session between both presidents and Mr. Fares.

Closed-Door SessionA closed-door session was held between the Lebanese President and his Belarus homologue Alexander Lukashenko, in presence of Mr. Fares and Belarus Foreign Minister Mr. Sergei Martynov. During the session, the Belarus President indicated that he is pinning high hopes for this visit to meet the objectives at which both the Lebanese and Belarus peoples aspire.
Extended Round of TalksFares attended later the extended round of talks held by the Presidents in the conference Room in which took part, on the Lebanese side, Ministers Mrad and Mahmoud, Major General Mansour, Ambassador Jaber, and the Lebanese Presidential Spokesman Mr. Rafic Shlala. Declarations made separately by each of the Lebanese and the Belarus Presidents underscored the significant importance of raising bilateral relations to their highest level and enhancing cooperation in the economic, commercial, military, technological, cultural, and scientific arenas.

At the end of the talks, Fares signed on behalf of the Lebanese side a number of bilateral cooperation agreements which the Belarus President said they ‘were fruitful for bilateral cooperation’ while his Lebanese counterpart considered they ‘would lay a new cornerstone for more communication’.
Talks with Belarus Parliament Speaker The Lebanese President wrapped up his two-day official visit to Belarus by holding consultations with the Belarus Parliament Speaker Mr. Vladimir Popov who paid him a visit in his private wing at Minsk Hotel, in presence of Mr. Issam Fares and his Belarus homologue Vladimir Semashko. Discussions broached the means to develop bilateral cooperation in different arenas. Popov affirmed his country’s willingness to promote communication between the Belarus and the Lebanese Parliaments through joint meetings and working committees to take advantage of the Lebanese experience in democracy and the parliamentarian life. He also affirmed that the Belarus Parliament supports the stances of the Belarus Government in consolidating bilateral ties.

At 11 AM, Fares and the Lebanese President and delegation headed to the Victory Square in Minsk where they laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The Memorial& the Lebanese CommunityThe Governor of the City of Minsk, the Commander of the military zone, and a number of personalities welcomed Fares and the delegation who moved to the memorial, surrounded by a large crowd of Lebanese students and members of the Lebanese community in Minsk.

The Dinner BanquetBelarus President Alexander Lukashenko had thrown a dinner banquet at Frunze Palace in Minsk to honor his Lebanese counterpart and the Lebanese delegation.