Belarus will continue to strengthen its independence and sovereignty, Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said Thursday.

For many centuries, Belarusians have dreamed of independence, therefore today the country is simply obliged to remain sovereign, Makei said after the flag-raising ceremony at the Foreign Ministry.

"Strengthening independence and territorial integrity today is one of the basic, fundamental issues," the official said, adding that Belarusians should think about this day and night.

However, at a meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Union State of Belarus and Russia in Brest earlier, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev named "more profound integration" as the condition under which Russia is ready to make concessions on the issue of oil and gas in relation to Belarus.