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Lukashenka pledges political reform

Alyaksandr Lukashenka has promised to implement a political reform in Belarus, BelaPAN said.

In an interview given to representatives of China’s state-run media in Minsk on January 17, the Belarusian leader emphasized the need to respond to changes in the international situation. "That is why we are studying certain trends in the world today and, of course, will be adapting to them and modernizing our political system. We will conduct parliamentary elections. And I think we must pay serious attention to a political reform," the government-controlled news agency BelTA quoted him as saying.

"One must always be one step ahead of the processes that will take place in our country. I am saying this for the first time but have long thought this over and discussed these problems. And we will be slowly moving in this direction," Mr. Lukashenka said.

"What matters most is preserving stability, giving the person an opportunity to live normally and express his or her opinion. What matters most is to give an opportunity to the person to preserve his or her basic rights," he was quoted as saying.

While speaking at a news conference last month, Mr. Lukashenka said that he was reluctant to leave the existing political system to his successor and announced that political reforms would be carried out.