MINSK, 2 May (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has finally dotted the i's on the matter of wearing and using the St. George’s ribbon in Belarus, BelTA learned.
The head of state addressed the topic at the very beginning of his meeting with Governor of Russia’s Astrakhan Oblast Igor Babushkin where Russian Ambassador Boris Gryzlov was also present. Earlier, Aleksandr Lukashenko spoke about this issue in Volgograd during his meeting with Vladimir Putin. Such attention is associated with attempts by certain forces to artificially spin this issue and make it a point of discord in the Belarusian-Russian relations. Seeing this tendency, Aleksandr Lukashenko reacted directly and openly in order to stop possible insinuations.
“Well, Vladimir Vladimirovich and I gave an answer on this matter. What surprised me was that he was not aware of the issue. He asked me: ‘Will you tell me what this is all about?’ I said, ‘I thought it was coming from you.’ – ‘No, it's the first time I've heard of it’. I replied, ‘Well, then it must be from a friend of ours.’ – ‘Who?’ – I said, ‘Well, from Boris Vyacheslavovich [Russian Ambassador Boris Gryzlov]. He [Vladimir Putin] laughed and said: ‘No, it can't be.’ He said: ‘Well, where from?’ I said: ‘Maybe from Rossotrudnichestvo [Russian agency]. I am not insisting just assuming,” Aleksandr Lukashenko shared the details of the conversation with his Russian counterpart.
“If you want to wear St George’s ribbons, you are welcome (I told him too). If you opt for the ribbons with Belarusian symbols, you are welcome. Everyone chooses the ribbon to their liking. We are kin people, after all. We don't wear swastikas like they do in Ukraine. Ribbons were your idea to us. We have made up our minds in this respect. I think there should be some distinction,” the president said.
The head of state addressed the topic at the very beginning of his meeting with Governor of Russia’s Astrakhan Oblast Igor Babushkin where Russian Ambassador Boris Gryzlov was also present. Earlier, Aleksandr Lukashenko spoke about this issue in Volgograd during his meeting with Vladimir Putin. Such attention is associated with attempts by certain forces to artificially spin this issue and make it a point of discord in the Belarusian-Russian relations. Seeing this tendency, Aleksandr Lukashenko reacted directly and openly in order to stop possible insinuations.
“Well, Vladimir Vladimirovich and I gave an answer on this matter. What surprised me was that he was not aware of the issue. He asked me: ‘Will you tell me what this is all about?’ I said, ‘I thought it was coming from you.’ – ‘No, it's the first time I've heard of it’. I replied, ‘Well, then it must be from a friend of ours.’ – ‘Who?’ – I said, ‘Well, from Boris Vyacheslavovich [Russian Ambassador Boris Gryzlov]. He [Vladimir Putin] laughed and said: ‘No, it can't be.’ He said: ‘Well, where from?’ I said: ‘Maybe from Rossotrudnichestvo [Russian agency]. I am not insisting just assuming,” Aleksandr Lukashenko shared the details of the conversation with his Russian counterpart.
“If you want to wear St George’s ribbons, you are welcome (I told him too). If you opt for the ribbons with Belarusian symbols, you are welcome. Everyone chooses the ribbon to their liking. We are kin people, after all. We don't wear swastikas like they do in Ukraine. Ribbons were your idea to us. We have made up our minds in this respect. I think there should be some distinction,” the president said.
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, Belarus holds the Belarus Remembers campaign, which is similar to Russia’s Immortal Regiment commemorative event. “They are the same in fact. People carry portraits of their relatives. Some choose to carry portraits, some simply join the event. Our youth made such a proposal. (I approved). Our young people, Komsomol members suggested this option. The youth is the future. It is a good option. Not the Ukrainian one. I said then: ‘Okay. Let’s do it.’ Someone wants to wear St George’s ribbons, others - something else. We should not oppose each other. Let's do it together,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
“We march together,” Ambassador Boris Gryzlov responded.
“Yes, that will be the right thing to do. Let people decide for themselves,” the Belarusian leader added.
“We march together,” Ambassador Boris Gryzlov responded.
“Yes, that will be the right thing to do. Let people decide for themselves,” the Belarusian leader added.
As BelTA reported earlier, during the talks with Vladimir Putin in Volgograd, Aleksandr Lukashenko stated that in addition to the Immortal Regiment campaign, which is practiced in Russia and uses St George’s ribbons as a symbol, young Belarusians initiated the annual campaign Belarus Remembers. Both campaigns go hand in hand. “When you launched the Immortal Regiment procession, we adopted the same practice in Belarus. But in addition to St George’s ribbons and the regiment, young people [have come up with the campaign] Belarus Remembers. No one has ever forbidden wearing St George’s ribbons,” the Belarusian leader stressed. “I don’t see anything wrong with some people willing to wear St George’s ribbons. Some people want to wear symbols of the Belarus Remembers campaign. They march together. There is nothing to fight over. But some people do love to criticize whatever the reason,” Aleksandr Lukashenko added.
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