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Minsk is ready to cooperate with any US administration on the basis of mutual respect and pragmatism, Andrey Papow, spokesman for the Belarusian foreign ministry, told reporters in the Belarusian capital city on Thursday, Belapan said.

Mr. Papow was asked to comment on prospects for the development of relations between Belarus and the United States following the election of Barack Obama as new US president.

"We confirm that we are ready to work with any representative of the American administration who will respect the interests of Belarus and develop Belarusian-American relations on the basis of respect by the sides for the interests of each other and pragmatism," Mr. Papow said.

"We have a big respect for the choice that the American people have made and we have the right to expect that the American leadership will have the same respect for an outcome of political campaigns carried out in our country," he said.

The election of Mr. Obama will not influence US-Belarusian relations, US Charge d’Affaires Jonathan Moore said in an interview with BelaPAN on November 5.

"The potential for the development of relations is good but tremendous changes are not expected.

undamentally our policy is the same, we are interested in human rights, we are interested in greater freedom and opportunity for Belarusian people," he said.

Mr. Moore said that Belarus and the United States had opportunities for closer ties. Describing the release of all political prisoners as a "positive step," he noted that Washington "made positive responses." "Either with Obama or with McCain we will be looking for other positive steps," the diplomat said.