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Belarus still ready to provide platform for Donbass Contact Group talks - official

The video format is turning into some practically useless televised spectacle, Deputy State Secretary of the Belarusian Security Council Vladimir Archakov said

MINSK, April 18. /TASS/. Belarus is still ready to provide a platform for negotiations within the Contact Group for settlement in Donbass, it considers the video conference format ineffective, Deputy State Secretary of the Belarusian Security Council Vladimir Archakov said on Sunday on the Belarus-1 TV channel.

"As for the conflict in Donbass, we are still confident that it can be resolved solely through diplomatic means. The Republic of Belarus sees no alternative to the Minsk Agreements - in any case, there are no other [agreements]," Archakov said. "We are still ready to provide a platform for the work of the Contact Group, because the video format is turning into some practically useless televised spectacle." He noted that Minsk has always supported "peaceful ways to resolve absolutely any differences."

He also pointed out that Ukraine has been making inappropriate statements lately. "I would like to express an opinion that the Ukrainian side could act more appropriately when it comes to us," Archakov said. He stressed that "no matter what, Belarus is ready to take part in the regulation of the arising and escalating conflict situation in any format."

Earlier, head of the Ukrainian delegation to the Contact Group Leonid Kravchuk stated that the Contact Group platform might be moved from Belarus to Sweden, if it becomes impossible to hold dialogue in Minsk due to the protests on the outcomes of the Belarusian presidential election held in August 2020.

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