Belarus: Minsk 'regrets' move by countries to join EU sanctions
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 9 June 2012 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Belarus: Minsk 'regrets' move by countries to join EU sanctions, 9 June 2012, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4fdb2f552.html [accessed 27 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
By RFE/RL's Belarus Service
June 09, 2012
The Foreign Ministry of Belarus says it "regrets" a decision by seven European countries to join an EU sanctions regime against Minsk.
The comment comes after EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton announced that Albania, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro had joined an EU regime of economic and visa sanctions aimed at pressuring the Belarusian government.
Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrey Savinykh said the sanctions "seed mistrust and hamper the real resolution of issues in dispute."
The EU sanctions, which ban a number of Belarusian officials from traveling to the bloc and have frozen their assets on EU territory, are aimed at pressuring Minsk to reverse its crackdown on civil society and release all political prisoners.
With reporting by Interfax
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
