BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
26/02/2008
Belarus reaffirms foreign policy line
MINSK. Feb 26 (Interfax) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has made some diplomatic appointments, his press service said on Tuesday.
Lukashenko appointed Alexander Pavlovsky, who had until then headed the Belarusian border guard, ambassador to France and permanent representative to UNESCO.
Vasily Pugachyov, until then first deputy foreign minister, was named as permanent representative to Commonwealth of Independent States bodies.
Igor Petrishchenko became first deputy foreign minister.
Lukashenko said Belarusian foreign policy remained unchanged.
"We pursued and are pursuing a well-considered, careful foreign policy, and, if we decide on a compromise, as with the European Union recently, I wouldn't say we had changed the vector of our foreign policy and were trying, as some say, to flirt with the West," he said.
"Being in the center of Europe, between Russia and the West, Belarus has an inevitable need to build normal relations with it neighbors," Lukashenko said.
"But if there is anything that runs against our legislation, we will not accept it and will not go back on our position as a matter of principle, no matter what pressure is put on us, and no matter how badly we get baited," he said.
Source:
http://www.interfax.com/3/368793/news.aspx
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