English

Lukashenka links non-recognition of Georgia's breakaway regions to fear of row with West

Alyaksandr Lukashenka said on Friday that Minsk had refused to recognize the independence of Georgia's breakaway regions for fear of ruining relations with the West.

Speaking to a group of Russian reporters in Minsk, Mr. Lukashenka said that a "big Western politician" had visited Belarus to warn him against recognizing Russian-backed Abkhazia and South Ossetia. "He outlined for me the spectrum of relations that we would have with the EU and the USA [if Belarus recognized the regions]. And over time I realized that this would be the case indeed," the Belarusian leader said.

Mr. Lukashenka emphasized the level of economic ties between Belarus and the European Union.

"I produced a list of troubles and calamities that may befall Belarus at a meeting with Medvedev in Sochi," Mr. Lukashenka said, adding that he had asked the Russian president whether the Kremlin was ready to offset economic damage that the possible deterioration of relations with the West could cause Belarus. "He replied, 'One shouldn't bargain, this is one subject and that is another.' If that is the case, then the conversation should have no continuation."

The Belarusian leader said that "there is no country in the world apart from some island that has recognized these states." He denied that Venezuela had recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia, saying that the Latin American country had only expressed readiness to do so.

"Maybe Russia doesn't need us to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia?" he wondered. "Maybe it has a reason to bend us over? In their opinion, Lukashenka has gone too far and enjoys authority in Belarus, he must be brought down." //BelaPAN