International community expresses concern over Belarus

BEIJING－Belarus has been seeing mass protests after incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko won a sixth term in the Aug 6 elections, sparking worldwide attention and concern.

The country's opposition, which has gathered around presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, rejected the election results and accused the authorities of massive falsifications during the voting.

The situation has also triggered reactions in the international community, with the United States and the European Union preparing to step in, and other organizations and countries calling for restraint and urging outside forces not to interfere in Belarus' internal affairs.

US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun is to visit Russia and Lithuania soon to discuss the crisis in Belarus, Reuters reported on Saturday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto discussed the situation in Belarus over the phone on Friday, the Kremlin said.

The Kremlin statement said Putin reaffirmed Russia's stance that "meddling in the internal affairs of a sovereign state and attempting to exert external pressure on the legitimate authorities are unacceptable", the Kremlin said.

And Finland expressed the hope that the situation in Belarus can return to normal as soon as possible, it said.

'Internal affair'

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Belarusian counterpart Vladimir Makei opposed external interference in Belarus in a phone conversation on Friday.

"It was noted that the solution of the problems in Belarus is its internal affair and it does not require external intervention and even more so instructions about who and how to conduct dialogue," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Lavrov and Makei emphasized the need for all external forces to respect the sovereignty and independence of Belarus, it said.

They also underlined the necessity of dropping attempts to provoke a confrontation in Belarusian society and undermine the normalization of the situation.

Also on Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia is ready to help resolve the situation in Belarus if its leadership wants it, but will not interfere in its affairs.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for restraint and calm in Belarus and called on Belarusians to address post-election grievances through dialogue to preserve peace in the country, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

French President Emmanuel Macron proposed on Thursday that the European Union facilitate a dialogue in Belarus along with other institutions and Russia.

He made the remarks at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel following their meeting at Macron's Mediterranean presidential retreat, Fort de Bregancon.

Merkel said Lukashenko "has not sought to speak" to any EU leaders. "It is clear we are telling Putin that we are seeking a dialogue," she said.

China believes Belarus can maintain political stability and social tranquillity through its own efforts, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a news briefing on Wednesday.

Xinhua