Makiej planned to slam OSCE for failing to invite Lavrov to ministerial meeting

December 1, BPN. The late Belarusian foreign minister, Uładzimir Makiej, was planning to criticize the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for not inviting his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to a ministerial meeting. Belarus’ envoy Andrej Dapkiunas delivered Makiej’s speech at the meeting in Łódź on December 1.

“How to stop the fire in Europe? Many in this organization believe that we should just identify the culprit and then demonize, isolate and punish him. This is a brief description of the western approach to Russia and Belarus. It took the form of a ban on the Russian minister’s participation in this meeting. We regret this decision, because it kills the OSCE,” Makiej would have said if he had lived to attend the event.

Belarus’ top diplomat unexpectedly died on November 26, aged 64. Pundits often saw him as a slightly pro-western figure, trying to maneuver between Moscow and Brussels. His position remains vacant.