Image credit Tanya Korovenkova
Belarus is totally against new confrontations and dividing lines in Europe, Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Uladzimir Makey said Thursday at the international conference One Year of Minsk-II Accords. Achievements, Challenges and Lessons Learned.
“The world is sliding into the Cold War,” the minister noted in his the welcoming speech.
Before the event started, Makey answered journalists’ questions.
According to the minister, it was a great privilege for Belarus to host the meeting of the leaders of Germany, France, Ukraine and Russia, and there was no pragmatic approach to thw issue. “Our aspirations were sincere, we did not seek any political dividends,” Uladzimir Makey stressed.
However, the official admitted that the event did have an effect on the West’s attitude to Belarus.
“Even if there is Minsk-III Accords, we would like these negotiations to be final,” he said.
The minister refused to specify how much the meeting of the Normandy Four cost. “What does it matter when it comes to the life-and-death issue?” he wondered.
“We keep talking to all the parties. We hold neither pro-Russian nor pro-American position. We act on our own account,” the foreign minister said.
The threat of the Ukrainian crisis’ turning into a frozen conflict is quite real, Makey stressed. “Therefore, real small steps are needed virtually every day to de-escalate and regulate the situation,” he added.
Belsat.eu, following Nasha Niva, BelTA
