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Belarus warns Poland against provocations over refugee situation

The Foreign Ministry pointed out that the sharp worsening of the migration situation on the Belarusian-Polish border aroused "serious concern over the future of people, who seek to get into the European Union countries in some way at any cost"

MINSK, November 9. /TASS/. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry has warned Poland against provocations over migration tensions on Belarusian-Polish border.

"We would like to caution the Polish side against using any provocations against the Republic of Belarus for justifying possible illegal use of force against deprived and unarmed people, many of whom are under-age children and women," the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said in a commentary on Tuesday.

The Foreign Ministry points out that the sharp worsening of the migration situation on the Belarusian-Polish border arouses "serious concern over the future of people, who seek to get into the European Union countries in some way at any cost, and is a direct consequence of Warsaw's stubborn defiance of the objective reality and outspokenly negligent attitude to handling serious problems."

"Against this background groundless attempts by the Polish side to blame the quickly evolving migration situation on Belarus look extremely awkward. We have repeatedly called upon our neighbors to enter into a meaningful dialogue between the agencies concerned on important trans-border issues that are of unequivocally common interest," the commentary reads.

The Foreign Ministry points out that Minsk proceeds from the assumption the Polish side's attitude to foreigners seeking asylum and protection will serve as a "litmus test of Warsaw's commitment to international law, humanism, and high democratic standards in the field of human rights protection."

On Monday, several thousand migrants approached the Polish border on the Belarusian side. Some broke through a barbed wire fence and tried to cross into Poland. On the Polish side, police armed with shields and wearing helmets and protective vests, border guards and troops blocked their way. The migrants set up a camp near the border. According to various estimates, about 2,000 people are near the Polish border at the moment. The Polish authorities expect that more attempts to cross the border may follow.