MINSK, 5 August (BelTA) – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Sergei Aleinik has met with Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Belarus Mulusew Mamo, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Sergei Aleinik briefed Mulusew Mamo on ongoing developments at the Belarus-Lithuania border, provided details about the circumstances of the tragic events that took place on 3 and 4 August, assured him of Belarus' openness in relation to the ongoing investigation.
The deputy minister slammed the barbaric methods of forcing asylum seekers out to the territory of Belarus in violation of the 1957 Convention regarding the Status of Refugees and other relevant international instruments.
Sergei Aleinik called on the UNHCR to facilitate the settlement of the situation and the return of Lithuania back to the legal framework.
The parties expressed serious concern over the current situation, especially the violence against people at the border, and emphasized the importance of complying with international obligations relating to the right to asylum.
