Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 19 : Belarus is keen to foster trade, business, tourism and cultural relations with India and is particularly keen on sister city collaboration between the Brest region of Belarus and Maharashtra.
According to Raj Bhavan Maharashtra press release, the newly appointed Consul General of Belarus in Mumbai, Aliaksandra Matsukou, engaged in discussions with Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais over the issue.
During the meeting, the Consul General of Belarus in Mumbai, Matsukou, expressed a strong desire to enhance trade, business, tourism, and cultural ties with India.
"The Republic of Belarus is keen to foster trade, business, tourism and cultural relations with India and is particularly keen on sister city collaboration between the Brest Region of Belarus and Maharashtra," read the release.
Additionally, "the Consul General told the Governor that the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, is very keen to develop strong relations with India and the Belarusian President intends to visit India, during which he will also visit Maharashtra."
Matsukou, who is the first full-time Consul General appointed by Belarus in Mumbai, told the Governor that the Foreign Minister of Belarus had a meeting with Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar in New Delhi during which the framework of regional cooperation was discussed.
Belarus had very strong relations with India when his country was part of the Soviet Union and Matsukou added that the country is keen to restore strong relations with India once again.
"Eastern European nation intends to act as a bridge between the European Union and the Russian Federation," said the Belarusian Consul General.
He said the Internal Ministry of Belarus is keen to offer expertise to Mumbai in traffic management. Matsukou said that in order to strengthen humanitarian relations, the government of Belarus will take 30 children from an orphanage near Pune to Belarus for an excursion.
Mentioning his recent visit to the Tadoba Tiger Reserve and the botanical garden in Chandrapur, he applauded the efforts of India in environmental conservation.
During the discussion, the Consul General conveyed to the Governor that Indian culture, particularly Indian music, dance, yoga, and films, enjoys significant popularity in Belarus.
Additionally, he mentioned that Belarus plans to host its Cultural Day events in New Delhi and Mumbai.
Governor Bais extended a welcome to the Consul General of Belarus to Maharashtra, and said that he will be happy to see academic collaboration, especially student-exchange, faculty exchange and cultural exchange between the universities in Maharashtra and Belarus, and expressed the hope that the opening of direct flights between New Delhi and Minsk will promote two-way tourism.
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