President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, reminded Moscow about Russian military bases located on the territory of Belarus, which should also be paid for. "Chief of Russian Armed Forces seems to have forgotten that in Belarus there are two active bases: in the area of Baranovichi and Vilejka. And I also can remind that as opposed to Sevastopol, Russia pays us zero rubles and zero copeck for the lease of these bases".
Belarusian leader, commenting on the recent signing of the Russia-Ukraine agreements to extend by 25-year term Russia’s lease of naval base in Sevastopol, said that he would not go into these details, BelTA informs.
«I will not go into details — in Russia it has already been actively commented: why Russia needs the Black Sea fleet and so on. It’s their business, with whom to fight there. It’s Russia’s business: keep it or not, what the cost of the fleet is. But I want to congratulate my colleagues in Ukraine with a great victory: they have received a few billion dollars for the signing of this treaty. But I’m not talking about this now», the President said.
Alexander Lukashenko reminded that in the area of Baranovichi a Russian military base — which function is an early warning of missile attack — operates. «This is an important new base, which we finished to build with Boris Yeltsin (Russia’s first president — Telegraf) at certain time. The second base provides connection with the submarine fleet of the Russian Federation in the Atlantic», the President said.
«If Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, forgot about it — about Baranovichi and about Vilejka — it’s time to remember», Alexander Lukashenko stressed. «Here are the business and intentions».
The President also reminded that Belarusian army, defending Russia on the western borders, is the basis of military alignment of the Union State. «In the West, the Russian Federation has nobody, except the Belarusian armed forces», Alexander Lukashenko said, noting that there is the Treaty on the common air defense system between the two countries, on which signing Russian side insisted.
«With regard to the declaration that we should go towards each other, then Dmitry Medvedev was surely referring to Belarus. Because only Belarus has always been to meet the aspirations of Russia», Alexander Lukashenko said. «Regarding employment, it seems to me that he means his predecessor at the post of Russia’s president — Vladimir Putin, who once hosted Askar Akayev (former president of Kyrgyzstan — Telegraf) and many others», the President added.
Bakiyev was not my friend, like those presidents who’s «bilked» him, Lukashenko
Belarusian President also reminded that in 2005, when Vladimir Putin said that events in Kyrgyzstan were the result of the authorities’ weakness and the accumulated socio-economic problems. «It was not unexpected for us. However, it’s lamentably that once again in one of the countries in the post-Soviet area, political issues are resolved not in a legal way, but are accompanied by massacre and human victims», Alexander Lukashenko said.
«Moreover, speaking about the opposition, which came to power in Kyrgyzstan in 2005, Vladimir Putin then expressed the hope that it would be able to control the situation, said that these people are well known to Russian leadership. According to the then president of Russia, they promoted the development of relations between Russia and Kyrgyzstan», the President reminded the words of Vladimir Putin.
According to Alexander Lukashenko, at «that moment Kurmanbek Bakiyev with his colleagues did a lot for Russia and good relations with it». «Let’s compare the statements of this man (Vladimir Putin) then, and statements of Dmitry Medvedev today. Aren’t these double standards? Isn’t it a contradiction? It’s firstly», Alexander Lukashenko said.
«Secondly, I asked my assistants to find information on the employment of high-ranking «refugees» who had settled in Russia. Askar Akayev — Kyrgyzstan’s former president, Aslan Abashidze — the former leader of Adzharia, as well as the former head of Naftogaz Ukraine, the former Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine , the former mayor of Odessa and many others», Belarusian leader stressed.
«What do you think? What the accusations can be against me? I’ve hosted a man with whom I had good relations. He was not my friend, like those presidents who’s «bilked» him. Bakiyev has not done for Belarus as much as he has done for Russia «, Alexander Lukashenko said.
