BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

15/05/2008

Belarusian President threatens Europe using energy resources trump card

Minsk-APA. In an interview with Reuters, Lukashenko warned the European Union against joining the United States in imposing economic sanctions and reminded the bloc that Belarus was a transit country for Russian oil and gas exports to Europe.

Alexander Lukashenko praised the EU for that but warned it immediately, "Now they want the Europeans to join in. You can if you wish. But don't forget that 50 percent of your oil and oil products and 30 percent of your gas passes through Belarus. We are a sort of bridge that must somehow bring together those differences .The West attempts to destroy the bridge or at least to make it wobbly." he said. The Belarusian leader, whose current presidential term expires 2011, announced in his interview to Reuters his intention to run for president for the fourth time.

"The people are not especially critical of me and the West is beginning to understand that it is entirely possible," he said.

Source:

http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=48852

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