3A_PKKA
09-08-2008, 10:23 AM
Lukashenko says Minsk, Moscow must respond to U.S. challenge
08/09/2008 17:03 MINSK, September 8 (RIA Novosti) - Belarusian
President Alexander Lukashenko said on Monday that Minsk and Moscow
must respond to a "challenge" issued by NATO and the United
States.
"NATO and the United States have challenged us, and whether we like
it or not, we should respond to these challenges and threats," said
Lukashenko commenting on the August 20 agreement between Washington
and Warsaw to deploy missile defense elements near the Belarusian
border.
Lukashenko urged a "proportionate and appropriate" response and
pledged that Minsk and Moscow "would do their best to ensure the
security of Russian and Belarusian citizens."
The Belarusian leader said Minsk had no choice but to maintain
relations with the West, but cautioned that these ties would not be
detrimental to cooperation with Russia.
"I said long ago that I would not trade friendship with Russia,"
Lukashenko said, adding that Belarus would honor its commitments to
Russia.
He dismissed as "unacceptable" the possibility of integrating
Belarus into Russia.
"Neither Belarus, nor Russia needs that," Lukashenko
said. "Otherwise, Russia will simply lose a reliable ally and
subject of international law."
He seemed less enthusiastic when commenting on the Russia-Belarus
Union, and said that the achievements by the two countries within
the union could have been accomplished as part of bilateral
agreements.
However, the Belarusian leader praised relations with his Russian
counterpart Dmitry Medvedev and expressed hope that they would
continue to progress further.
Lukashenko said he and Medvedev could hold two meetings later this
year.
08/09/2008 17:03 MINSK, September 8 (RIA Novosti) - Belarusian
President Alexander Lukashenko said on Monday that Minsk and Moscow
must respond to a "challenge" issued by NATO and the United
States.
"NATO and the United States have challenged us, and whether we like
it or not, we should respond to these challenges and threats," said
Lukashenko commenting on the August 20 agreement between Washington
and Warsaw to deploy missile defense elements near the Belarusian
border.
Lukashenko urged a "proportionate and appropriate" response and
pledged that Minsk and Moscow "would do their best to ensure the
security of Russian and Belarusian citizens."
The Belarusian leader said Minsk had no choice but to maintain
relations with the West, but cautioned that these ties would not be
detrimental to cooperation with Russia.
"I said long ago that I would not trade friendship with Russia,"
Lukashenko said, adding that Belarus would honor its commitments to
Russia.
He dismissed as "unacceptable" the possibility of integrating
Belarus into Russia.
"Neither Belarus, nor Russia needs that," Lukashenko
said. "Otherwise, Russia will simply lose a reliable ally and
subject of international law."
He seemed less enthusiastic when commenting on the Russia-Belarus
Union, and said that the achievements by the two countries within
the union could have been accomplished as part of bilateral
agreements.
However, the Belarusian leader praised relations with his Russian
counterpart Dmitry Medvedev and expressed hope that they would
continue to progress further.
Lukashenko said he and Medvedev could hold two meetings later this
year.