Sanctions on Belavia not fully lifted, some issues remain - Lukashenko

MINSK. Oct 14 (Interfax) - The Belarusian airline company Belavia is not yet fully operational despite having been relieved of U.S. sanctions, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said at a meeting on U.S.-Belarusian relations in Minsk on Tuesday.

"They said they were lifting the sanctions on Belavia yet some 'tails' [issues] remain. Both [Belavia's General Director Igor] Cherginets and our top managers at Belavia are saying that the lifting of those sanctions does not yet fully relieve Belavia from some stupid obligations," Lukashenko was quoted by his press service as saying.

"We cannot fly, repair or buy always and everywhere. The U.S. admits as much. It says removing those 'tails' will take a while. Okay," Lukashenko said.

Recently Minsk hosted a number of meetings with the U.S. president's special envoys, he said. "Practice shows that the Americans conduct all these communications solely for pragmatic purposes. Of course, our policy of restarting relations with the U.S. also will have to be built solely on Belarusian interests," Lukashenko said.

At the same time, Belarus can accept some compromises and be the first to make concessions while expecting the U.S. to deliver on its promises, he said. As is the case, for instance, in the lifting of the sanctions on Belavia, he said.