Lavrov: Russia – is for European Belarus

“Russia has always consistently supported the inclusion of Belarus in various European organizations”, - the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

“We take this position in principle, not depending on the circumstances”, - Lavrov said, responding to reporters’ questions after a joint meeting of the boards of the Foreign Ministries of Belarus and Russia on November 23 in Minsk. - We support all the statements of Belarus about the participation the in the Council of Europe and the “Northern Dimension” and other organizations.

According to the minister, Russia is far from the desire to “to restrain someone from something.” “This is not our position. The world is changing, and the Belarusian side is ready to cooperate with all on mutually beneficial terms,” - Lavrov noted.

Talking about the issues to be submitted to the upcoming summit of the CSTO member states (it is to take place in December), the foreign minister of Russia said: Belarus and Russia “here is not just a consensus, we advocate a concerted effort,” BelaPAN reports.

In turn, the Foreign Minister of Belarus Siarhei Martynau said: These initiatives relate to the sphere of military security, humanitarian cooperation, ensuring balance in the work of the OSCE activity, election observation and activities of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the OSCE.