BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

05/04/2006

Belarussian-Polish tensions to end soon: official

MOSCOW, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Tensions between Belarus and Poland over Polish officials' criticism of the Belarussian election and Belarus' detention of former Polish ambassador to the country will end soon, said the recently recalled Belarussian ambassador to Poland on Tuesday.

"We are going through a difficult period of Polish-Belarus ties. Special attention Polish officials and media pay to events in Belarus is often biased. But I am sure that this complicated period will be short," said Pavel Latushko, who was recalled last Friday for consultation in a TV show.

Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko had said at a meeting earlier in the day with Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov and Latushko that Belarus is ready to cooperate with all countries in the world, noting that "pragmatism and neighborliness should be the main factor in the development of relations with Poland."

"Belarus and Poland have historic ties of good neighborhood, deep cooperation in various areas and active personal contacts," Lukashenko said, adding that the recent presidential elections in Belarus did not change main direction and principles of the Belarussian foreign policy.

Latushko will go back to Warsaw when the consultations are completed, according to the president.

Poland on Tuesday called for the immediate release of its former ambassador to Belarus Mariusz Maszkiewicz, who was sentenced on Monday by a Minsk court to 15 days in jail for taking part in an unauthorized rally in Belarus.

After the arrest of the diplomat, Poland decided to impose visa restrictions and likely travel bans on Belarussian citizens deemed responsible for the alleged rigging of Belarus' presidential election.

Editor: Lu Hui

Source:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-04/05/content_4386700.htm

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