Cyprus has vetoed efforts by EU national leaders to impose sanctions on about 40 Belarusian officials, including Alexander Lukashenko.
In response to the election, measures were
being considered’ to ensure that Lukashenko was elected for a sixth term,
resulting in a strong response from the Minsk government to the protesters.
Cyprus, which has good relations with the
Russian government that supports Lukashenko, wanted to join sanctions against
Turkey over the dispute over gas exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean.
In a tweet, Latvian Foreign Minister
Edgars Rinkevics condemned Cyprus's actions, saying, "it sends a wrong
signal to Belarus, our societies, and the world."
What did Belarus's opposition say?
The ministers began the discussion after
meeting with Lukashenko's main opponent, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who called for a bold response.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the
ministers over breakfast, Tikhanovskaya urged Europe to reduce any financial
support to the Belarusian government.
"We have done a lot to deal with the
situation on our own, only with the strength of the people of Belarus, but now
I understand that we need outside help," he said in English.
Tsikhanouskaya said she understood that
some ministers were reluctant, but that funding would be "violent only to
kill the people of Belarus."
"In that meeting, I said be
brave."
What is the situation in Belarus?
In the August election results, Tsikhanouskaya
said that Lukashenko - who has been in power for the past 26 years - had almost
Gained 80% of the vote. Several people have been killed’ in protests since the
vote.
After the election, Tsikhanouskaya was
forced’ to flee Belarus for safety.
EU foreign policy chief Giuseppe Borrell
said the ministers would also consider what assistance Belk has provided to the
people of Belarus. He also said that relations with Minsk may need to be
reconsidered’ because "we do not recognize Lukashenko as the legitimate
president of Belarus."
He denied allegations that the European
Union was interfering. "It cannot be called interference in internal
affairs because democracy and human rights are the core of the EU's
identity."
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