US Embassy and EU Representative Support Poland in Diplomatic Conflict with Lukashenka
- 13.03.2021, 8:15
The actions of the official Minsk lead to further isolation of the regime.
The US Embassy has commented on the expulsion of Polish diplomats from Belarus. The European External Action Service declared its solidarity with the diplomats of the EU member states who were expelled from Belarus. Let us remind you that a diplomatic scandal erupted between Belarus and Poland this week, as a result of which several diplomats were expelled from both sides.
“The United States expresses solidarity with Poland and condemns the expulsion from Belarus of three diplomatic and consular officers of the Consulates General of Poland in Brest and Hrodna. Belarus should adhere to its international obligations on the treatment of diplomats within the framework of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” the US Embassy in Belarus said in a statement.
“The European External Action Service expresses solidarity with the diplomats of the EU countries expelled from Belarus. Intimidation of our colleagues for carrying out their diplomatic duties is unacceptable and leads to further isolation of the Belarusian regime,” Nabila Massrali, spokeswoman for the EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, wrote on Twitter.
In addition, eight members of the European Parliament wrote a letter to the chairman of the structure, David Sassoli, in which they call to reconsider relations with the Belarusian embassy in Brussels. The letter notes that “six months of peaceful protests in Belarus were marked by violence, intimidation, oppression, and persecution by the Lukashenka regime.” The authors note that in October 2020, the Belarusian authorities demanded that Lithuania and Poland cut staff at their embassies in Belarus, and this week, a Polish diplomat was expelled from the consulate in Brest.
The authors of the letter called on Sassoli to initiate "an appropriate response from the European Parliament." “The number of employees of the Belarusian embassy who can personally or remotely attend meetings in the European Parliament should be limited. Moreover, it is worth reconsidering the communication with the embassy of Belarus,” the letter says.
What happened
On March 9, Charge d'Affaires of Poland in Belarus Martin Wojciechowski was summoned to the Belarusian Foreign Ministry. The diplomat was handed a note of protest because of the participation of the consul in Brest Jerzy Timofejuk in the event dedicated to the “day of the damned soldiers.” The consul was asked to leave the territory of Belarus. In response, Poland recognized the diplomat from the Belarusian embassy in Warsaw as persona non grata.
On March 11, the Charge d'Affaires of Poland was summoned to the Belarusian Foreign Ministry again. The Polish side was handed a note with a proposal to the head and consul of the Consulate General of Poland in Hrodna to leave the territory of Belarus within 48 hours. In response, Poland expels two Belarusian consuls from the country.