Belarus, N. Korea Seal Friendship Treaty

(MENAFN) Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sealed a bilateral treaty of "friendship and cooperation" Thursday during a landmark summit in Pyongyang, formalizing a deepening partnership between two of Europe and Asia's most internationally isolated states.

The Belarusian presidency confirmed the agreement was concluded during direct talks between the two leaders in the North Korean capital, marking Lukashenko's first official state visit to the country.

During the meeting, Lukashenko expressed gratitude to Kim for the invitation and drew historical parallels between the two nations, noting that both countries bore the heavy toll of past military conflicts.

"The friendly relations between our countries, which began during the Soviet era, have never been interrupted," he said, adding that ties are now entering "a fundamentally new stage."

Lukashenko also highlighted growing institutional engagement between the two governments, pointing to expanding cooperation through intergovernmental bodies and direct coordination between their respective foreign ministries.

According to the Belarusian presidency's statement, the treaty lays out the core goals and guiding principles of bilateral cooperation while establishing a structural framework for broadening ties across multiple domains.

Kim welcomed the accord as a cornerstone legal instrument, saying the agreement would serve as a legal foundation to ensure stable development of relations between the two countries.

Lukashenko had touched down at Pyongyang International Airport on Wednesday, where he was received by senior North Korean officials alongside Belarusian diplomatic representatives. He subsequently attended a formal state ceremony alongside Kim at the iconic Kim Il Sung Square.

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