Minsk threatened Moscow the American Ambassador
The foreign Ministry of Belarus has recognized that negotiating the extension of the US diplomatic mission.
Foreign Minister of Belarus Vladimir Makei on Monday made two Pro-Western statements against both Washington and Brussels. First, he said that at present, “ripe for reconsideration” of the decision on the reduction of mutual diplomatic presence between Belarus and the United States, and that talks about returning to the capitals of the ambassadors are already underway. Second, Mr. Makey expressed hope that the European Union “sooner or later” abandon “a relic of the past,” sanctions against Minsk. Just two hours after that the Belarusian issue raised Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, urged Minsk to appreciate Russian assistance. According to respondents ‘ b ‘ experts, the Belarusian authorities hope to strengthen their legitimacy in the West and thereby reduce dependence on Moscow.
“We are in talks with our American friends on how to develop a positive atmosphere in our cooperation, on the understanding that both countries should be represented at the ambassadorial level that both countries need to have normal political and trade-economic contacts, relations”, — said the Minister of foreign Affairs of Belarus Vladimir Mackay (quoted by Belarusian edition of “Sputnik”). He noted the importance of establishing relations with Washington and the prospects that will follow:
This is a huge and capacious market for Belarusian products. The world situation has changed — it does not compare with the situation ten years ago when the US imposed sanctions against Belarus we were forced to retaliate. We see that the time has come to reconsider those outdated dogmas that exist today in our relationship.
The level of diplomatic relations between Minsk and Washington was lowered in 2008 due to US demands to release Belarusian political prisoners and the imposition of sanctions against enterprises of Belneftekhim. First, the Belarusian authorities have reduced the number of diplomats at its Embassy in Washington, and then demanded US to do the same with its Embassy in Minsk.
Currently, the U.S. Embassy is headed by charge d’affaires Jennifer Heather Moore, and the total state with it has only six people.
It is noteworthy that the warming of relations between Minsk and Washington, citing “two diplomatic sources” 10 January, reported Foreign Policy magazine. The publication claimed that Vladimir Makey called the assistant Secretary on Affairs of Europe and Eurasia Wess Mitchell and announced the removal of restrictions on the number of American diplomats in Belarus. The application for removal of restrictions, writes Foreign Policy, made against the backdrop of “increased cooperation” between Belarus and the administration of U.S. President Donald trump.
Foreign Policy also says that now “is political clash between the President, Alexander Lukashenko, who has long runs Belarus with a strong hand, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.”
Note that the possible return of relations with the US on the same level President Lukashenka said in September 2016 before the presidential election, which was won by Donald trump. However, significant changes over the past two and a half years and has not followed.
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Another today’s statement by Mr. Vladimir Makei, was addressed to Brussels. “In February of this year, will be reviewed sanctions. The EU will revisit the issue of remaining sanctions (against Belarus.— “Kommersant”), — he said. I hope the top will take a grain of truth. We hope that sooner or later the past will be eliminated and removed from our agenda”.
We will remind that on 10 January President Alexander Lukashenko issued another harsh statement against Moscow, criticizing it for “tax maneuver” that caused damage to Minsk. “If the Russian leadership chooses such a path of motion and the loss of the only ally in the Western direction, it is their choice. We’re going to get them can not” — said the Belarusian leader.