Lukashenko explains stance on independence of S Ossetia, Abkhazia

MINSK, August 14 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia proved unable to support
Belarus in addressing the problems that might arise in case of its
recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states, President
Alexander Lukashenko said on Friday during his tour of the Minsk Region.
"I would not like to enter into debate on this topic. My Russian
counterpart improperly extracts certain things out of the context," he
said, adding that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev kept quiet about some
of his remarks on the subject.
"I said then: it is not a big problem for Belarus to recognize
Abkhazia and South Ossetia. But I briefed the Russian president of all the
problems that would arise for Belarus in relations with the EU, the US,
and the CIS."
After two months of work Belarus identified the likely problems, "and
there were about a dozen of them."
Lukashenko said that he then asked the president of Russia: "Are you
ready to shoulder part of these problems and help overcome them? Russia
proved unable, or the Russian leadership did not want to agree to help
iron out, eliminate the consequences that could arise for Belarus."
"Since you are not ready, then the things we have been talking about
have not materialized. That's the sort of the conversation we had. Don't
think I first vowed to do this and that, but then breached the promise,"
Lukashenko said.
He added that "if Russia made some steps forward, there would
probably be a different situation."

-0-str