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Western view on Ukraine riots indulges radicalism and extremism – Belarus

Ukraine's neighbour Belarus has attacked Western attitudes to riots in Kiev and elsewhere in the country, condemning what it calls radical and illegal ways of settling internal political dissent

MINSK, February 20. /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine's neighbour Belarus has attacked Western attitudes to riots in Kiev and elsewhere in the country, condemning what it calls radical and illegal ways of settling internal political dissent.

“We cannot ignore the fact that in assessing the tragic events in Ukraine in recent months, Western countries repeatedly highlighted the peaceful nature of protests and refused to notice illegal seizure of administrative buildings, demonstrators’ use of Molotov cocktails and gunfire in clashes with police,” said a Belarussian foreign ministry statement on Thursday.

Such a stance was “similar to indulging radicalism and extremism" and played a role in escalating the violence, the ministry said.

“Attitudes applied to events in Ukraine are strikingly different from evaluations voiced in relation to protest rallies in other European countries where law enforcement authorities have to use force to restore order,” the statement added.

Belarus consistently supported peaceful settlement of the political crisis in Ukraine “with unconditional abidance with constitutional norms and without foreign interference”, it noted.

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