West starts to see Belarus' peaceful policy against backdrop of Ukraine events - parliament speaker
MINSK. Sept 7 (Interfax) - The West's attitude to Belarus has become warmer against the backdrop of events in eastern Ukraine but the ice in relations has yet to melt, speaker of the lower chamber of the Belarusian parliament Vladimir Andreichenko said on the air with the Belarus 1 TV channel.
"The attitude has become visibly warmer. But I cannot say that the ice has fully melted," Andreichenko said, speaking about the results of the 4th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament that took place in New York on August 31 - September 2.
"Yes, we have had more contacts, we see more positive comments about Belarus in the foreign press, but we conducted peaceful and friendly policy before. However, Western colleagues somehow did not notice that. That is why I do not rush to make any conclusion. Time will tell," he said.
"Belarus' position is well-known. It was voiced by our president: we are interested in normalizing relations with both Europe and the United States but on an equal, respectful and mutually beneficial base," Andreichenko said.
Andreichenko also noted the high assessment given by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to Belarus' effort to ease tensions in Ukraine, which he voiced during the conference of parliamentary speakers.