Lukashenko against over-politicizing Russian gas supplies :: Charter'97 :: News

Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko has spoken against over-politicizing negotiations on supplies of Russian gas to Belarus. "If someone in Russia wants to over-politicize this issue, let them do it. We view this as a matter [to be resolved by] business companies," Lukashenko said at a working meeting on Monday. The president was informed about a position the government worked out at the meeting concerning imports of all energy resources, primarily natural gas. Lukashenko called for "not yielding to provocation by the opposition, which is trying, as usual, to benefit from the conflict. If they or someone in Moscow want to take advantage of this theme and yell about it - give them the go-ahead. But as soon as it runs counter to our law, we must categorically curb this," the president said.

Lukashenko also called unacceptable the opposition`s attempt to exaggerate the problem of relations between Russians and Belarussians. "The Russian people and those Russians who live in Belarus are our people, and, as I have said several times, they have nothing to do with this problem as no Russians do, except for some politicians who made the decision to blockade Belarus."

The president called for resolving all disputes economically. "Let`s not blackmail anyone in the way that they recently [blackmailed] us. We have felt what this has cost. We need to conduct calm negotiations," he said.

"If the Russian Federation wants to sell us its commodity at a higher price, we should also demand a higher price for the services we provide to it and in which it is interested. This is the essence [of the problem]. Then nobody will be able to fuel the conflict politically," he said.

Belarussian Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky told the president that all measures will be taken to fully provide Belarus with energy resources. A source with the Russian government praised Lukashenko`s call for not over-politicizing the negotiations on Russian gas supplies to Belarus. "As it is precisely the Belarussian president who over- politicized this matter most of all, this call will hopefully be heard," he said.