June 20, Great Britain intends to offer the European Union to impose a total embargo on arms exports from Belarus unless the country changes the human rights situation. British Foreign Secretary William Hague will urge his EU colleagues to introduce a visa ban and asset freeze to close associates of President Alexander Lukashenko.
According to the British minister, coordination of the international community positions is very important. «The situation in Belarus is totally unacceptable. We won’t weaken our determination to make President Lukashenko recognize the supremacy of law and democratic freedoms, release all political prisoners and end human rights violations perpetrated by his government,» said William Hague, reports The Independent.
«The Arab Spring is the lesson to respect basic human rights and freedom of speech. Lukashenko should understand that he cannot keep on stifling the voice of the people,» said the British minister.
According to Western diplomats, Belarus annually earns more than $2.2 billion, by-passing the state budget, straight to the fund controlled by the president.
