Opinions & Interviews

Belarus prepares response to possible expansion of EU sanctions

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MINSK, 17 November (BelTA) - Belarus is preparing a response to the possible expansion of sanctions by the European Union, Belarus' Ministers of Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei told the media after the meeting with the head of state on foreign policy, BelTA has learned.

Vladimir Makei stressed that Belarus has always opposed the sanctions rhetoric in the relations with the European Union. Unfortunately, however, the actions of the partners sometimes leave us no other choice but to respond adequately to negative steps towards the country, he said.

“Believe me, we would like to see Belarus and our region as the places of peace, accord and goodwill. But if someone wants to continue to escalate the situation (and you see the actions on the part of those who left Belarus for Europe, with calls for economic sanctions), then rest assured that these initiatives, if adopted by our European partners, will not go unanswered. The response will be adequate and sensitive for our European partners. I would like to reiterate that it is not us who have initiated this. We only tried, as it seems to us, to respond adequately to the challenges Belarus is facing,” he said.

The minister stressed that Belarus has never been interested in the sanctions policy: “We have always said that sanctions are not a method to develop interstate relations. They have never led to anything good and will never do. Even our recent experience shows that sooner or later the sanctions policy comes to an end. I am sure that this will be the outcome in the future this time as well.”

“If those who initiate such things want to follow this path, then, of course, we will have to respond. The participants of today's meeting discussed (and generally supported) a number of measures that can be taken if our partners decide to tighten these sanctions and to switch from personal to economic sanctions. This is what some of the opponents of the Belarusian authorities call on them to do,” Vladimir Makei said.

The minister stressed that Belarus and the EU are interested in developing cooperation in many areas and that European partners attach special importance to some of them. “We once agreed to voluntarily conduct stress tests at the Belarusian nuclear power plant, adopted recommendations of the European Commission and developed a National Action Plan. We are interested in cooperation with international organizations because we want the plant to be absolutely reliable and safe. If the European Union constantly reproaches us, we can rethink the prospects of further cooperation with the union in this area,” the minister said.

Another important area where, according to Vladimir Makei, Belarus and the EU are simply obliged to cooperate is countering cross-border crime, drug transit and illegal migration. “We must together make it a border of peace, tranquillity and security, not cause instability. We have a lot of issues that are sensitive for all the parties, and we are interested in resolving them in a constructive way, not under pressure, blackmail and sanctions,” the minister stressed.

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