The relations between Belarus and the West have been normalized, Alyaksandr Lukashenka said when receiving credentials of foreign ambassadors on Monday.
“Consistent and pragmatic policy helped us normalize and enhance relations with western countries. We have managed to overcome differences and are now building a new platform of cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and balance of interests,” state-run news agency BelTA quotes Lukashenka.
According to him, Belarus is a peace-loving, stable and secure state.
In February 2016, the European Union lifted sanctions against the Belarusian leader and 169 officials. The EU upheld the arms embargo on Belarus, as well as sanctions against four senior (at the time) security forces officials, whom the West believes are involved in the disappearance of political opponents of Lukashenka in 1999-2000.
In 2016, Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski stated that Poland was ready to mediate between Belarus and the West.
“We are trying to open all the channels of dialogue with Belarus and keep Belarus as close as possible to Europe,” he said.
- Poland wants to be intermediary in Belarus-NATO rapprochement – Foreign Minister
- Belarus FM visits Warsaw: ‘We want to get rid of heavy dependence on Russia’
At the same time, Europe blasted the Belarusian authorities’ crackdown on spring protests which were caused by the notorious ‘parasite’ decree.
On March 25, Belarusians came to main squares of their cities to protest the ‘parasite’ law and celebrate the unofficial Freedom Day. But the Minsk riot police brutally dispersed the protest. Hundreds of people – even women, elderly people, journalists and ordinary passers-by – were arrested, battered and jailed.
Police beating protesters on March, 25 (ENG subs)
