Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on January 13 that the Council of Europe's consensus resolution on Belarus reflected the view of Russia and all other states of the Council of Europe." The Governing Body of the Council of Europe — Committee of Ministers — sent an official request to the Belarusian authorities to release the arrested opposition leaders, human rights defenders and journalists, as well as to explain the reason for their detention.
Russian Foreign Minister said that the majority of Russians, detained after the presidential elections in Belarus, had been released. «Two of them were re-arrested and charged with organizing mass disturbances. Staff of the Russian Embassy in Minsk is in constant contact with them,» Itar-Tass quotes Sergei Lavrov.
Russian Politicians Not Invited to Lukashenko Inauguration, Lavrov
Sergei Lavrov also said that none of the Russian politicians and officials hadn’t been invited to the inauguration of President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, RIA Novosti.
«Honestly, I do not know, what the protocol practice in Belarus is. Foreign representatives are not invited to the inauguration of our president, for example. So I have not heard that someone from Russia has been invited to the inauguration,» Sergei Lavrov said.
As Telegraf previously reported, the exact date of inauguration of Alexander Lukashenko, reelected for a fourth term on December 19, hasn’t yet been known. After the election, the head of the Central Election Commission Lidia Yermoshina said that the inauguration of President might be appointed on January 14, 2011.
