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Lukashenka: Belarus will not sign Riga summit documents

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Lukashenka: Belarus will not sign Riga summit documents
Photo: Getty Images

Belarus says is the country's principled position not sign the documents of the EaP summit in Riga if they present a direct anti-Russian stance.

Aliaksandr Lukashenka said it at the 7th congress of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus on May 22, BelaPAN reports.

“The Ukrainian events should have taught us to cherish the fragile peace we have. The problem of Ukraine and Georgia must be solved. Instead of it, they gathered at the Eastern Partnership summit and began to slam Russia in every document either directly or indirectly. We have always been against directing the Eastern Partnership against anyone,” the dictator said.

“If the EU wants to cooperate with us in the Eastern Partnership, let's do it. But Russia does not participate in the EaP project. Who should we criticise it, also for Crimea, in Russia's absentia? They [the EU] say we offended them by not supporting it. But this is my principled position,” Lukashenka said.

According to him, the main aim for today is to stop bloodshed in eastern Ukraine and then to find out “who is guilty”. Belarus has become a “place of peace for Ukraine” and it is necessary to keep peace there, Lukashenka added.

A joint declaration of the European Union and Eastern Partnership is expected to adopted at the EaP summit in Riga, where Belarus is represented by foreign minister Uladzimir Makei.

As Reuters learnt from diplomatic sources, Belarus and Armenia refused to sign the draft declaration due to a paragraph about the annexation of Crimea by Russia.

Belarusian MFA spokesman Dzmitry Mironchyk said, commenting on the information: “Work over the declaration text is under way. As for Belarus' position, it is well known. We stand for the non-confrontational character of the Eastern Partnership with a positive agenda, also regarding 'the neighbours of the neighbours'.”

Johannes Hahn, the Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations, told journalists before the summit on May 22: “I am very confident that by the end of the day we will the formulation that will satisfy everybody.”

According to him, the negotiations over the final declaration were under way, but “the general perspective is clear”. Asked if the differences over the mention of Crimea in the final declaration were resolved, he said they were not. “ I don't want to make any final statements on that. I am very confident that by the end of the day we will have the formulation that will satisfy everybody,” Hahn said. According to him, 28 EU members states have learnt to find a compromise. “The six [EaP participants] will also learn to find a compromise. And they are ready for that,” the European commissioner added.

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