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Minsk accuses UK, US of violating 1994 treaty

The Belarusian foreign ministry has accused the United Kingdom and the United States of violating a 1994 treaty with Belarus.

Representatives of the UK and US diplomatic missions visited on Wednesday the Belarusian foreign ministry, where they were told that their countries had violated their international obligations by introducing "unilateral restrictive measures" against Belarus, according to the ministry`s press office.

Under the so-called Budapest Memorandum, the countries pledged to refrain from measures of "economic compulsion" against Belarus for the purpose of subjecting it to their interests. The pledge was made in exchange for Belarus` agreement to give up nuclear weapons.

"It was particularly emphasized that Belarus reserves the right to attract the international community`s attention to the violation of the Budapest Memorandum by the UK and the US to make these countries abandon the measures of economic compulsion against Belarus," the press office said.

The treaty was signed by Alyaksandr Lukashenka and the leaders of Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States on December 5, 1994. It was registered by the United Nations as an international treaty. //BelaPAN