MOSCOW, 12 November (BelTA) – I think foreign handlers see the hopelessness of protests in Belarus but cannot stop, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at an online press conference, BelTA has learned.
"I think that even those who are trying to support the Belarusian protests already see the pointlessness of this idea. But, unfortunately, they cannot stop," Sergey Lavrov said.
The Russian foreign minister is convinced that many forces in the West would like to see the situation in Belarus to remain tense. "Notwithstanding their repeated statements that this is not an attempt to overthrow the government in Belarus, not an attempt to drive a wedge between Belarus and the Russian Federation. But all these do-good statements are not backed up by practical actions," he said. "The Belarusian opposition is actively financed, actively encouraged to take such an uncompromising stand."
According to Sergey Lavrov, much more is being done "from the outside to maintain a confrontational atmosphere." He stressed that it is not just the flow of money to finance the protests in Belarus that is coming from abroad. "It is also the instructions, and we have seen them, how to make firebombs such as Molotov cocktails and many more".
"Our position is very simple. Attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of Belarus need to stop. All Belarusians, including the opposition, should be encouraged to participate in the political settlement process," the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
According to him, the Belarusian authorities have clearly indicated their readiness for dialogue, proposed to carry out a constitutional reform. A marked decrease in the protest activity in Belarus shows that people understand the need to move towards a constructive dialogue, Sergey lavrov believes. Yet, the opposition living abroad do not demonstrate such understanding. "Unfortunately, the opposition, which is now working from abroad - from Vilnius, from Warsaw - takes a different position, it does not want any dialogue, it does not have any constructive counter-program," he stressed.
