Expert: Lukashenka's words addressed to Russia, not West
Zmicier Lukashuk, Euroradio 16 January 2015, 21:39
They are caused by recent anti-Belarusian statements in Russia.
Head of Belarus' words that it was necessary to normalize relations with the EU and the US are not addressed to the West but to the East. This opinion was expressed in an interview with Euroradio by a political scientist Dzyanis Melyantsou.
Melyantsou: It's a message for the East, as recently a lot of anti-Belarusian statements originated there saying that Lukashenka was a traitor, and Belarus is switching to the West. This obviously concerns the Belarusian leadership. And then goes this message across to Russia, to the Russian leadership, not to be afraid of Lukashenka being a traitor - that these are regular negotiations, the normal process to improve relations (of Belarus with the West - Euroradio) from bad to normal.
Meanwhile, the Euroradio source noted that to normalize relations, the West has put forward a number of requirements to Minsk. And the most important of them is the release of political prisoners. The official Minsk cannot make concessions to the West and fulfill the set conditions, because it will look like a weakness of the Belarusian authorities, says Melyantsou. However, he did not rule out that there will be found "an acceptable formula that would satisfy all parties: it would help Lukashenka save face and not show weakness, and to meet the West's demands at least to some extent".
At the extraordinary session of the House of Representatives, on January 15, Alyaksandr Lukashenka said that Belarus will specifically aim to normalize relations with the West - with the EU and the US, but at the same time, our country will always try to maintain fraternal relations with Russia.
