Belarus calls Latvia’s withdrawal from cross-border deal “regrettable”

August 31, BPN. A spokesman for the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Anatol Hłaz, has criticized Latvia’s decision to withdraw from a cross-border cooperation agreement.

He said the move was aimed at “distracting Latvian citizens from the socio-economic problems growing in their own country like a snowball.”

“Such unmotivated actions of the Latvian authorities are only regrettable, especially since the cross-border cooperation agreement provided for the development of local authorities’ contacts in the areas of mutual interest. This means absolutely pragmatic things in the interests of the two peoples,” he said.

On August 30, the Latvian government announced its withdrawal from the agreement with Belarus on the basic principles of cross-border cooperation. The deal was signed and entered into force in 1998.