MINSK, 10 June (BelTA) - Western pressure is escalating the situation around Belarus, adding to the rising tensions in the Eastern European region, Sergei Rachkov, Chairman of the International Affairs and National Security Commission of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus, said in an interview with the SB. Belarus Segodnya newspaper, BelTA has learned.
According to the senator, what is happening around Belarus is an attempt by the collective West to exert pressure, to tear the country away from Russia. "Of course, this is a geopolitical strategy. Before that, there was a failed scenario of color revolution. We saw the attempts to disrupt the operation of enterprises, to organize strikes, and draw women and young people in protests. But the consolidation of our society around the head of state has put a stop to these processes, the main purpose of which was to try to change the behavior of Belarus, which has long been an irritant for the West that wants us to play by its rules, with which we conceptually disagree. By the way, such pressure is escalating the situation around Belarus, adding to the rising tensions in the Eastern European region. In general, thanks to the enormous efforts of Belarus in recent decades, this region has become more peaceful and secure. But now Western countries will probably have to spend money and efforts on it themselves," Sergei Rachkov suggests.
He noted that Belarus has always responded carefully and cautiously to the unfriendly steps of the Western countries, first of all the EU and the United States. “We have always calculated how harmful our retaliatory steps will be to the economy, and we have never taken decisions that will harm us. We hoped that the West would come to its senses and take up a more constructive policy towards Belarus,” the senator noted.
Sergei Rachkov recalled that the speakers of the Belarusian parliament had a meeting with the chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress this week. The parties discussed both inter-parliamentary dialogue and economic cooperation, including the measures to counter the pressure of the collective West on Belarus and China. This meeting reaffirmed that China is a solid friend and partner of Belarus not only in the economy, but also in politics. Among other countries I can also name India, some individual countries in Southeast Asia.
Many African countries show their interest in developing trade and economic cooperation with Belarus, despite the situation artificially created by Western countries around us. Belarus also has partners in the Middle East,” the senator said.
The Belarusian senator expressed his bewilderment at Ukraine's position. “We have helped the country many times: in political, economical, and humanitarian terms. However, when the country is under foreign control, when oligarchs and populists rather than experienced politicians are running it, they are starting to shoot themselves in the foot without realizing that it is the Ukrainian people that will suffer. The country is our close and respected nation. We hope we will continue maintaining relations with it and developing humanitarian ties. In the economic sector, however, we will have to respond to the Ukrainian government's unfriendly acts. Belarus has enough levers to exert such pressure on Ukraine. The weather is warm now, but once the cold weather sets in Ukraine will feel the consequences of its policy. Two hundred Ukrainian enterprises will feel the impact of the countermeasures of the Belarusian government even faster. So will some 300 companies in Lithuania, 250 in Cyprus, 160 in Latvia, 150 in Germany and 140 in Poland,” said Sergei Rachkov.
The Council of the Republic also discussed the issue of responsibility for those calling for sanctions against the country. “We will think of what the responsibility should be. These can be extreme measures, such as deprivation of citizenship, and others. In my opinion, we first need to consider some measures of political and moral influence on those who carry out such calls. I do not rule out that in the near future the parliament will develop a bill that would establish certain responsibility for calls for economic, political, and other sanctions against the country. By the way, the very phenomenon is strange, if not ugly. I have been working in international relations for a long time, and I do not remember any cases when citizens would advocate better life of people but in reality use the methods that can lead to chaos,” Sergei Rachkov said.
