BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

03/06/2009

Russian president urges Belarus chief to relax

By MIKE ECKEL

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev scolded his counterpart from Belarus on Wednesday for an anti-Russian tirade and sharply reminded him just who was helping Belarus cope with the global financial crisis.

The comments prolonged a testy exchange between Moscow and Minsk, as the two former Soviet neighbors sparred like warring siblings.

Last week, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told his Cabinet that Belarus would not "bow down, whine and cry" before Russia anymore and said Belarus should look elsewhere for trading partners.

Lukashenko also took great offense at comments by Russia's finance minister, who criticized the Belarusian government for "meaningless policy" and said Minsk was taking a "parasitic" attitude toward Russia. Lukashenko blasted the minister for meeting with Belarusian opposition leaders, whom Lukashenko called "scum."

On Wednesday, Medvedev scolded Lukashenko for his "unacceptable" comments.

"Never have we allowed and never will we allow commenting on the personal characteristics regarding the leadership of other countries, although we could say something about economic measures they take, why they turn to us for help and assistance," Medvedev said during a meeting with top ministers.

"I think that from the point of view of diplomatic ethics this is unacceptable, and I hope that our closest partners will take the same stance," he said.

Belarus' Soviet-style economy has been propped up in part by gas and oil that Russia sells it at below-market prices and Lukashenko has called for his country to reunite with Russia.

But in recent years, the two countries have clashed over the fees Russia pays to Belarus for the transport of Russian oil to Europe. The Kremlin is also impatient with Lukashenko's resistance to Russian attempts to take control of Belarus' key industrial assets.

Lukashenko, in turn, has moved to improve relations with the United States and the European Union, which had deteriorated over Western criticism of Lukashenko's authoritarian rule.

Russia has also been expecting Belarus to follow its example in recognizing Georgia's breakaway provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent nations, which Russia did following its war with Georgia last summer.

But Lukashenko's government has made no move to recognize the two regions.

Source:

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/06/03/ap6499731.html

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