The FINANCIAL -- MINSK, Belarus should not wait for "presents or preferences" from Russia or the West, President Alexander Lukashenko said on November 2.

"Partners place conditions on each step to meet Belarus halfway by demanding concessions on our behalf, be it economic or political," the Belarusian leader said at a conference on foreign policy issues.

"In these conditions we should be guided exclusively by Belarus's national interests rather than someone's geopolitical ambitions, even if they emanate from our closest allies," Lukashenko said.

He also said his country will not develop a partnership with the European Union to the detriment of other states' interests, and vice versa.

"Relations with the EU are one of the key factors to ensure our independence and sovereignty," Lukashenko said.

"But this does not mean that in the urge to receive benefits emerging from a closer integration with the EU we will sacrifice social and political stability in society or the achieved level of cooperation with Russia and other states," he said.

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