BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

31/01/2008

Russia Worried About Western Pressure On Belarus

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on January 30 in Minsk that Russia is worried about "pressure exerted by some Western countries on Belarus to force the republic into changing its policy," Belapan reported. Lavrov, who attended a board meeting of the Belarusian and Russian Foreign Ministries, condemned the "attempts at economic and political pressure" as "counterproductive and short-sighted." "Sanctions have never had the desired effect. Problems should be solved through mutually respectful dialogue, not through dictation and pressure," Lavrov said. Belarusian Foreign Minister Syarhey Martynau said that his ministry is currently working "to neutralize these matters as much as possible to ensure that economic sanctions could not be worsened and even could be removed." AM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2008/01/3-cee/cee-310108.asp