MINSK, April 9 (Itar-Tass) —— Belarus offered to the European Union to alleviate tensions in bilateral relations and begin negotiations, Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov said live on the first channel of Belarusian television on Sunday evening.
“Political relations and the EU policy towards Belarus actually lag behind the needs of life,” he said. In this situation Belarus proceeds from the necessity to come to terms. “We always call for the dialogue,” he said.
“We have some disagreements. But let’s sit down calmly at the table of negotiations and discuss them. The discussion will not most likely be simple and easy for either party. But if we do not do it, we will not advance in the relations,” the minister pointed out.
The Belarusian foreign minister also noted that there are two paths in the development of Belarusian-EU relations that is “the escalation of tensions, which exist in the relations with the EU, or the elevation of these tensions.” “Belarus offered to embark on the path of de-escalation of tensions some time ago,” he added. “They did not lend an ear to our initiatives,” he remarked.
Martynov also emphasized that at a recent meeting chaired by President Lukashenko “we agreed that we offer again to our friends and colleagues in the European Union to embark on the path of de-escalation.” “So, Belarus states that we do not oppose that your ambassadors, whom you recalled from Belarus for some reasons, will come back to the republic,” the foreign minister noted. “But naturally we would like them not to be engaged in some backstage affairs aimed against the development of our relations, but the affairs, which are seeking to improve these relations. However, we say to our colleagues. Well, let’s come back. Just think how to do it right. Because if they return in a few days, the EU will impose more sanctions, and how will it look like? To put it mildly, it is not serious,” the minister remarked.
If the EU “wants to discuss some serious, much more far-sighted issues, you should not make some negative steps.” “We are ready to sit down to the table of negotiations and discuss all issues,” Martynov underlined.