Russia loan not linked to Abkhazia, Ossetia recognition-Belarus

MOSCOW. February 6. KAZINFORM - Belarus's president has said Russia's possible additional loan to the ex-Soviet state will not influence its decision to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia; Kazinform has learned from RIA Novosti.

Media reports have suggested Belarus could recognize the disputed Georgian regions, following Russia's suit, in exchange for a loan and discounted energy prices. Belarus has asked Russia for 100 billion rubles ($2.7 billion), in addition to the agreed $2 billion stabilization loan, to switch to payment in rubles in bilateral trade. "We would not tolerate pressure either from Europe or Russia in this issue," Alexander Lukashenko said in a Euronews interview published late on Thursday. "There is parliament, it will discuss the issue and make a proposal. This is not linked to the loan." A Belarusian lawmaker said earlier Abkhazia and South Ossetia had approached Minsk with recognition requests. Lukashenko earlier said he would back parliament if it voted to recognize the republics that broke away from Georgia after armed conflicts in the early 1990s. Russia's recognition of the regions after a brief war with Georgia in August was condemned by Europe and the United States. Belarus's long-serving leader, dubbed by Washington "Europe's last dictator," has moved to improve ties with the EU, which criticized his human rights and democratic records. In October, the EU suspended for six months travel restrictions and other sanctions against Belarus's leadership, including Lukashenko. "There is no doubt, we are interested in [strong] relations with the European Union," Lukashenko told Euronews. He said Belarus's trade with the EU in January-November 2008 reached $22 billion and highlighted other spheres of mutual interest like energy transit, drug trafficking, and illegal migrants. The country's commodity turnover with Russia in the period was $35 billion.