Belarus says it’s our partner but acts differently – Ukraine’s Deputy FM


Belarus is not at a ‘proper level’ of cooperation on the case of Ukrainian citizen Pavel Gryb, who went missing in Homiel, Alena Zerkal, Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister says.

On August 24, the young man arrived in Homiel to meet with a Russian girl he had got acquainted earlier on the Internet. Pavel did not return to Ukraine. The girl was allegedly controlled by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).

Belarusian border guards told his father Igor Gryb that they did not hold any information about the whereabouts of his son. At the same time, Mr Gryb states that Homiel policemen unofficially informed him of his son’s being on the black list of the FSB. According to unconfirmed information, he may have been placed in a jail in Russia’s Krasnodar.

“We are trying to clarify the situation and making every effort to change it for the better. Unfortunately, we cannot say that Belarusians are cooperating with us in a proper way. We engaged all the consuls, everyone is working and trying to tackle the situation. But we do not know, do not understand where he is!”she told the Ukrainian TV station Channel 5.

According to the top official, in words Belarus behaves as a partner, but in deeds it acts quite differently.

On August 31, Budapest is hosting the meeting of foreign ministers of the Eastern Partnership and the Visegrad Group member countries. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin is expected to discuss the issue with his Belarusian counetrpart Uladzimir Makey.

belsat.eu

TWITTER