Maxim Ryzhenkov. An archive photo
MINSK, 6 April (BelTA) – Belarus is ready for dialogue with Lithuania but will not force the pace of negotiations. Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Ryzhenkov made the statement in an interview with the First News TV channel, BelTA has learned.
“We stated our position a long time ago, and we are not deviating from it. We are ready for dialogue. We are ready to consider any matters of interest to our citizens, citizens of neighboring countries, businesspeople of the two countries, and simply people who need an open border and need travel in both directions due to everyday, work-related, cultural, and humanitarian initiatives. It was not us who closed this border. It was not us who erected this sanctions fence. We are ready for dialogue,” said Maxim Ryzhenkov.
At the same time, he emphasized that Belarus does not intend to force the pace of negotiations with the Lithuanian side. “All this fuss from the other side: should we, shouldn’t we, the Americans said, the Americans didn’t say. Let them make up their minds, we are ready. But we need to understand when, with whom, and at what level to talk. Let them make up their minds. We have stated our position very clearly. The ball is in their court, we are not going to force anything, everything is fine with us,” noted the head of the Belarusian foreign ministry.
Maxim Ryzhenkov described the unfriendly steps taken by Lithuania as self-isolation and self-limitation from the greater Eurasian space. “For now there are some vague talks about who knows what. I get the impression that this is an unwillingness to talk to us. It’s just to appease their domestic audience, to say: ‘You demand that we talk to Belarusians. So we have appointed some authorized person, we have set some tasks.’ In reality, we see none of that. And we are not going to force this,” the diplomat emphasized.
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