Lukashenko urges to save fragile peace on Earth
MINSK. May 24 (Interfax) - Belarus is ready to become a "donor of peace" and seek ways of resolving conflicts in Eastern Europe, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said.
"Peace is so fragile, one false step and a terrible war breaks out. And then no one would talk about reasons, no one would talk about who's to blame. We would kill each other. Why? What for? Let us act for the sake of people and themselves. We're going to live long, which one of you is planning to die tomorrow? No one, not even me. Let us live, raise children, educate them, and be creative. We must take steps on this track," Lukashenko said at the Minsk Dialogue International Forum on Thursday.
On Wednesday, "while thinking about my behavior this way and that, I was thinking what to say and came to one conclusion, how important is it that peace prevails," he said. "I am ready to proceed towards peace, if you wish, I'd lead the way, or walk nearby, or there [behind]. The most important thing is that peace must prevail," the Belarusian leader said.
"You would go outside now, you can do it in Canada too, it is a country similar to ours, and everything around you is beautiful, people are glad that peace and quiet prevails. Does anyone even want to destroy it? Why would we do that, why would anyone want millions of people to die again?" he said.
At present, "the European security architecture experiences the deepest systemic crisis since the Cold War," he said. "The planet has closely reached the abyss of a serious conflict. Great powers aimed to be reliable guarantors of stability cannot find a common ground on any pressing issue today," Lukashenko said.
The lack of guarantees of the avoidance of a large-scale armed conflict, albeit an unintentional once, is the most concerning, he said. One third of countries have already been involved in military conflicts in one way or another and it generally exceeds the number of countries involved in the Second World War, the Belarusian president said.
Lukashenko advised politicians of the world to refrain from any reckless actions, which could impact the fate of entire nations.
The main message of Lukashenko's speech at the forum was the readiness of Minsk and the president to support initiatives of a peaceful settlement of conflicts in the region. "You can count on Minsk at any time," he said.