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Lukashenko expects Russian authorities to sort out situation around ambassador in Minsk

Lukashenko noted that Russia is "an ancient country with good traditions that is perfectly aware of how this or that ambassador should behave both in Russia and abroad"

MINSK, April 20. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko expects the Russian authorities to sort out the situation around Moscow’s ambassador to Minsk Mikhail Babich, who was accused earlier of an attempt to disrupt the friendly relationship between the two countries by the Belarusian Foreign Ministry.

"Russia’s ambassador is a representative of President of the Russian Federation, my good friend, who recommended him (Babich - TASS) to be sent here. That is also a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry. I am confident that they will sort it out with the ambassador," he was quoted as saying by the BelTA news agency on Saturday.

Lukashenko noted that Russia is "an ancient country with good traditions that is perfectly aware of how this or that ambassador should behave both in Russia and abroad." "That is a Russian ambassador and Russia will sort it out with him itself," he added.

On Friday, Belarusian Foreign Ministry accused Mikhail Babich of an alleged attempt to disrupt friendly relations between the two countries. That was the ministry’s response to the diplomat’s comment on Lukashenko’s statement. Belarusian President said during his state of the nation address that the cost of BelAES (Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant) might total $7 bln against $10 bln planned earlier. The lowered sum was mentioned in a question addressed to President by Belarusian MP Anna Kanopatskaya who referred to a statement allegedly made by Babich that Russia reduces the construction cost. Russia’s ambassador noted that the Belarusian leader had been misguided regarding the cost of BelAES as Russia never announced it.

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Alexander Lukashenko

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