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PRESS RELEASE
Washington,
D.C., March 21, 2008
Russia
Considers US Sanctions against Belarusian Concern “Belneftekhim” as
Politically Motivated
Victor
Zubkov, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation being on a visit to Belarus
stated today in Minsk that Russia considers the move by the United States to
impose restrictive economic measures with respect to the Belarusian Concern
Belneftekhim as politicized. He added that such actions by the United States
intensify pressure on Belarus.
Victor
Zubkov noted “In its own interests Washington has been continuing pressure
on Belarus instead of building a dialogue and abolishing the restrictive
measures. All of these take place while positive steps has been taken by the
Belarusian leadership”. He added that the very example here is the recent
achievements in the development of the market economy in Belarus.
Victor
Zubkov said that such actions by the United States hardly fit in the
international legal context of intergovernmental relations either. “We urge
Washington to revise its course towards Belarus and its business entities”,
the Prime Minister of Russia emphasized.
In turn,
Sergei Sidorsky, Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus, noted that
Belarus does not seek the escalation of tension in the relations with the
United States or breaking off diplomatic relations.
The Prime
Minister of Belarus said that in compliance with the arrangements with our
Western partners, Belarus has been taking consistent steps to improve the
dialogue with the European Union and the USA with a view to normalizing
relations with them.
Sergei
Sidorsky said that the steps taken by Belarus were aimed at building up
full-fledged mutually beneficial bilateral relations with the EU and the
USA. However, the United States imposed additional economic restrictive
measures against the Belneftekhim. Thus, the United States violated the
agreed algorithm of mutual actions aimed at normalizing the relations.
Having made this unfriendly move, the USA refused its bilateral and
multilateral obligations with regard to our country, Sergei Sidorsky
emphasized.
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