22 October, Vitebsk /Diana Kurilo - BELTA/. Annually, about 3,000 Belarusian children go to the United Kingdom for health improvement programmes, Rosemary Thomas, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Republic of Belarus, informed journalists today, answering a question from a BELTA correspondent. The Ambassador is on an introductory visit to the Vitebsk region. The health improvement programmes will be continued next year, the Ambassador stated. "British families have long been willing to host Belarusian children. Many of them share warm friendly relations and look forward to meeting each other," added Rosemary Thomas. In 2009, the Republic of Belarus and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concluded an intergovernmental agreement on the terms for health improvement of underage Belarusian citizens in the United Kingdom. The agreement was concluded through an exchange of notes between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and the United Kingdom. The document created a legal framework for the further implementation of health improvement programmes for Belarusian children in the United Kingdom. Belarus has similar agreements in place with more than 10 states. -0-

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