Minsk frustrated with cancellation of FM Ryžankoŭ’s trip to Washington

February 19, Pozirk. The Belarusian foreign ministry has expressed disappointment with the US diplomatic mission not issuing a visa for Belarusian Foreign Minister Maksim Ryžankoŭ to travel to Washington for the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace scheduled for February 19.
“The Belarusian side promptly informed the organizers of the event that our country would be represented by Foreign Minister Maksim Ryžankoŭ by the decision of the head of state,” the ministry said in a comment to BelTA on Thursday evening. “All necessary notifications were sent to US protocol services in accordance with established procedure, visa documents were submitted in good time. However, despite the completion of all required procedures on our side, visas were not granted to our delegation.”
“In this situation a legitimate question arises: what peace and what consistency can one talk about if even basic formalities for our participation were not observed by the organizers?”
The ministry stressed that the “initial invitation to take part in the Board of Peace meeting from the US president was sent to the head of the Belarusian state.” “Further comments are unnecessary,” the ministry concluded
Instead of travelling to Washington, Maksim Ryžankoŭ took part in a literary evening in Minsk on the occasion of International Mother Language Day and Year of Belarusian Woman.
Alaksandar Łukašenka himself was invited to the first meeting of Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, but the ruler’s spokeswoman Natalla Ejsmant said on February 11 that that Foreign Minister Maksim Ryžankoŭ would represent Belarus.
She explained that the invitation had been sent at short notice and complained about the EU’s sanctions banning Belarusian carriers from its airspace.
On February 26, at a meeting with Sergei Glazyev, state secretary of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, Łukašenka said that he was not going to Washington because of the European air traffic restrictions on Belarus. “If you wanted to see me there, you should have resolved the issue so that I could fly there and back comfortably,” he said.
Belarus’ foreign minister attends cultural event in Minsk instead of Board of Peace in Washington
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja discusses “support for Belarusians in Lithuania” with NausėdaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsFormer Foreign Minister Alejnik appointed as national SDG coordinatorThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsMinsk releases journalist Pačobut, others in five-for-five exchangeThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja’s aide meets with EHU board chair after Belarus brands it “extremist”The material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsSecretary general of CoE congress of local authorities welcomes elections for opposition Coordination CouncilThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsEstonia considers banning real estate purchases by Belarusians – reportThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- PoliticsLithuania second most popular destination for irregular crossings via BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyLithuania arrests another suspect over 2,000 packs of Belarusian cigarettesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus moves to license veterinary services, agriculture to remain exemptThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Society
- Politics, SecurityBelarus defense chief discusses bilateral ties with Iran’s deputy defense ministerThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: students of blacklisted university face harassment in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- Economy, SocietyLatvia intercepts raft laden with Belarusian cigarettesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Security, SocietyRussian conscientious objector barred from flying to Tbilisi, Yerevan via MinskThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus’ foreign minister to visit TanzaniaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyAnother Belarusian arrested in Poland on suspicion of cigarette smugglingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics



