Foreign ministers of Belarus, Poland meet in Warsaw

Belarusian Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makey and his Polish counterpart, Radoslaw Sikorski, met in Warsaw on August 28 to discuss the situation in Ukraine and efforts to step up cooperation between Belarus and Poland.

"We are disappointed that the escalation [in Ukraine] is taking place so soon after the [August 26] Minsk meeting, which we`ve had such high hopes for," the Polish foreign ministry`s press office quoted Mr. Sikorski as saying.

The ministers reportedly stressed that both Belarus and Poland were seeking a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine. Mr. Sikorski said that Poland did not accept yet another escalation of aggression in Ukraine, according to the press office.

Mr. Makey, for his part, emphasized the need for a "neighborly dialogue" between the countries. He also reportedly reaffirmed the willingness to make progress in bilateral relations.

In addition, the meeting focused on consular matters and the need to update the legal framework governing bilateral relations, as well as the possibility of exhuming the remains of Stalin terror victims at the Kurapaty mass execution site near Minsk.

While in Warsaw, Mr. Makey also attended a dinner with Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Janusz Piechocinski, Deputy Foreign Minister Katarzyna Kacperczyk and Deputy Economy Minister Andrzej Dycha.