MINSK, November 4 (RIA Novosti) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Wednesday German business should step up investment in the country's economy.

"The current dynamics of the Belarusian-European dialogue opens new opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation between Belarus and Germany in various spheres. This gives us a chance to make a breakthrough in economic ties," Lukashenko said at a meeting with German businessmen in Minsk.

"At this difficult time, all business people are looking for opportunities to invest their capital in areas with the most favorable business climate and real guarantees that their investment will be safe," he said.

"In my view, we do not have any sectors where German investors could not move into," Lukashenko said. He especially mentioned auto making and agricultural machine-building, the petrochemical industry, power engineering, and high technology.

He also said German businesses should open a bank in Belarus.

Lukashenko said Belarus is very "interested in advancing cooperation with the European Union."

Dr. Klaus Mangold, chairman of the Eastern Committee of German Industry, said Belarus has good economic indicators and assured the Belarusian president that his committee will do everything possible to develop German-Belarusian ties.