BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
16/09/2009
Lukashenko: Minsk does not need advocates in dialog with EU
Interfax-Ukraine
Belarus is more than capable of stabilizing its relations with the European Union by itself, President Alexander Lukashenko said.
"We have discussed this matter [with the Lithuanian leaders]. We do not need advocates and brokers here, we will have a direct dialog," Lukashenko said in Vilnius on Wednesday, responding to a question posed by Interfax.
Lithuania, Ukraine and Poland helped warm up the relations between Belarus and the EU, the Belarusian president said. "We are ready to accept any help, but we do not need advocates and brokers where we can work directly," he said.
The EU should not dictate to Belarus what it should do, Lukashenko said. "It will be us, the government and people of Belarus, who will decide what Belarus should do," the president said.
"If the EU wants to ensure reliability, safety, in the eastern direction, we are ready for this cooperation," he said.
The Belarusian authorities are not going "to close the European direction," he said.
"This is not in our interests, so this window will not be closed," the Belarusian president said.
Source:
http://www.kyivpost.com/world/48759
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