Lavrov: The West uses the Belarusian opposition as an unwitting pawn

Sergei Lavrov said: “I would not like it if neighbors of Belarus and our neighbors such as Lithuania start trying to dictate their will to the Belarusian nation and in essence manage processes, in which the opposition is used as an unwitting pawn to a large extent. I've already talked several times about Svetlana Tikhanovskaya's current situation. It is obvious to me she doesn't speak her own words. She is in the capital city of Lithuania, a country that has joined up with Poland in demands for a change of government in Belarus.”

Sergei Lavrov believes that Svetlana Tikhanovskaya makes statements that lead to a huge number of questions. “She said she was concerned that Belarus and Russia maintain tight relations,” he reminded. “The other day she said she would like law enforcement agencies and security agencies to join the side of the law. In her interpretation it is a direct invitation to betray their oaths, to betray their own country, generally speaking. It seems to be a crime. This is why those, who provide limits of her activity, and those, who drop hints regarding what statements she should make, what issues she should press, should certainly understand their responsibility.”

Sergei Lavrov said that Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and other Belarusian opposition members recently stated their concern about any more or less tight relations between Belarus and Russia. “Keep in mind that at the beginning of the crisis they claimed they in no way do anything to damage Russian interests, that they would like to maintain friendship with the Russian nation,” he noted. “Meanwhile, everyone saw the program document that was available on Svetlana Tikhanovskaya's website for several hours. Leaders of the opposition removed it after that. They understood that they'd errored by showing their goals and tasks to the general public. Those goals and tasks included Belarus' withdrawal from the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Eurasian Economic Union, and all the integration bodies Russia participates in, Belarus' advancement towards the European Union and NATO, persistent displacement of the Russian language, the belarusification of all aspects of life.”

“I would like those, who absolutely brazenly play off the Belarusian opposition against the Russian Federation, to recognize their share of responsibility. I would like members of the opposition – Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and other ones – to find strength to resist such crude and obvious manipulation,” Sergei Lavrov said.

The Russian minister of foreign affairs also reminded about the refusal of OSCE representatives to come and observe the presidential election in Belarus. “When the OSCE tries to offer its mediator services now, I understand Aleksandr Lukashenko perfectly well. He said that the OSCE has missed its chance,” Sergei Lavrov stressed. “The OSCE could have sent observers, could have gotten a first-hand impression of what transpired, how the presidential election proceeded. Out of their hubris they ignored the invitation. We know that the ODIHR is virtually completely controlled by NATO. We've repeatedly suggested candidates for these jobs but they have always been rejected. It runs contrary to the OSCE's principles. We will continue trying to make the organization to more fairly reflect its entire membership. But I have little hope.”