Lukashenk worries if world is being carved up anew
BELGRADE/MINSK. Dec 3 (Interfax) - The role of international law has diminished and another carve-up of the planet may have begun from the position of strength, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said.
"Sometimes I begin to wonder, from the height of my years lived as president, whether a new partitioning of our planet has begun. And we all know well where this can lead to," Lukashenko was quoted by the BelTA state news agency as saying during his speech in the Serbian parliament.
"Belarus constantly calls for problems to be solved peacefully in accordance with international law. Yet this [law] no longer exists. Everyone acts from the position of strength," Lukashenko said.
He reminded of his peace initiatives and expressed confidence that Serbia would join those proposals. "Belarus put forward an initiative to resume the broad dialogue, from the Atlantic to Vladivostok, on boosting measures of confidence, security and cooperation. I think that Serbia will be among nations interested in discussing those problems," he said.
The president also recalled that Yugoslavia was once among co-founders of the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM). However, "today the NAM exists as a mere formality and has no influence whatsoever on big states," Lukashenko said.
Small and medium-sized countries should take a consolidated position to maintain global stability, he said.
"If big players cannot agree, that does not mean that small and medium states should sit still and wait quietly until someone great will determine their fate. I think that our voice must be heard. Together we shall be able to do far more for the good our countries and peoples, in the name of peace and stability," Lukashenko said.