Newsweek claims that the Kremlin had decided on who would be supported by Russia during presidential elections in Belarus. According to American journalists, in Moscow they see a replacement for Alexander Lukashenko in a face of a leader of the European Belarus civil campaign, Andrei Sannikov.
According to the magazine, the opposition politician «is not too close to the West» and declared its readiness «to embrace Russian help if it comes from the right people «, Newsweek informs.
The reasons for the Kremlin’s desire to replace Alexander Lukashenko from the presidential post, according to Newsweek, are the recent demands of Belarusian leader on Moscow’s payment for Russian military bases located on Belarusian territory and the shelter of Kyrgyz president, Kurmanbek Bakiyev.
We had to build normal relations with Russia a long time ago, Sannikov
In his turn, Andrei Sannikov commenting on the article in Newsweek stated that, according to him, Belarus «had to build normal relations with Russia a long time ago», the press center of Charter 97 reports.
«Russia will always be a strategic partner for Belarus. If Moscow accepts my main goals — free Belarus in 2011 and Belarus in the European Union in 2016-2017 — then we can talk on all issues of concern to us and Russia», said the opposition politician.
«There is nothing impossible in it. The model of such relationship is Ukraine. Russia is comfortable with the strategic choice of Ukraine towards Europe and deals with the legitimate president, elected fairly and recognized by the international community. We see how many years they have negotiated and arranged Russian-Ukrainian relations. So, it will be the same in Belarus, when there appear authorities chosen by the people», Andrei Sannikov assures.
