Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 30 January (BelTA) - Belarus keeps a principled and consistent position against anti-Semitism, Belarus’ Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Oleg Kravchenko said at the Rome International Conference on the Responsibility of States, Institutions and Individuals in the Fight against Anti-Semitism in the OSCE Area on 29 January, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“In his speech at the plenary session of the conference, Oleg Kravchenko confirmed Belarus' position in the fight against anti-Semitism in the context of the global efforts of the international community to combat racism, xenophobia, intolerance and discrimination in all forms and manifestations,” the ministry said.

The participants of the conference were provided with information on the Holocaust tragedy in Belarus. The deputy minister drew the attention of those present to a long tradition of peaceful co-existence of representatives of different nationalities and religious confessions on the Belarusian land, and the absence of any conflicts in the country on national, religious, and cultural grounds.

Attending the event was also OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano, OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger, representatives of government bodies of 20 countries, NGOs, national and religious communities.

In the margins of the conference Oleg Kravchenko met with OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano, Diplomatic Adviser to the President of the Italian Republic Emanuela D'Alessandro, and a number of heads of delegations of the OSCE member states to discuss the bilateral agenda, cooperation between Belarus and the EU, and interaction in the international arena.

As part of the event the heads of the delegations were received by Pope Francis.