Opposition politician says Russian leaders lack many-sided information about Belarus :: Charter'97 :: News

"A lack of many-sided information about Belarus prevents the Russian leadership and elite from making correct decisions, because they rely on one-sided information provided by the Belarusian authorities," said Sergei Kalyakin, leader of the Belarusian Party of Communists (BPC).

Mr. Kalyakin accompanied opposition presidential contender Aleksandr Milinkevich on his trip to Moscow on Monday. The politicians took part in a conference on Belarusian-Russian relations before and after March`s election in Belarus.

"Today we see, that actions and decisions being taken by the Russian leadership are predominantly based on myths," Mr. Kalyakin told the RFE/RL Belarusian Service. "One of the myths is that the current Belarusian president is [Russian President Vladimir] Putin`s only friend while all forces that oppose him are a Western project. Today, democratic forces of Belarus are a better and more reliable partner than the current regime, which has never fulfiled a single promise."

Mr. Kalyakin added that Russia "takes less interest in Belarus than European countries" because of a myth that democratic forces are doomed to lose the March election.

The democratic forces need to take time and consistent effort to explain the Russian political elite that "a democratic, open Belarus is part of Russia`s long-term interests," Vintsuk Vyachorka, leader of the Belarusian Popular Front, commendted on the visit. "It is just a mistake to view Mr. Lukashenko, who declares support for the Russian interests, as a constant in Belarusian politics," he added.