Russia Sees No Need for Third-Party Involvement in Belarusian Crisis Settlement – Lavrov

Russia does not consider the need for any third party to act as a mediator during the Belarusian political crisis, according to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Lavrov said on Tuesday that countries such as the U.S. and Canada were trying to impose their own ideas upon the sovereign country.
“We would like the Belarusians to be allowed to solve their problems by themselves, without any outside interference. We see the temptation of neighboring Ukraine, as well as countries from beyond the ocean – meaning the U.S. and Canada – to impose certain approaches to overcome the current situation in the Republic of Belarus. The Belarusian president reacts to these approaches. We think that there is no need for any meddlesome intermediary services” Lavrov said in his September 1 address to freshmen of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations and the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
A wave of protests has swept Belarus in the wake of the August 9 presidential election that saw incumbent Alexander Lukashenko re-elected for a sixth term.
More than 6,700 people have been detained, and hundreds have been injured, including more than 150 law enforcement officers.
According to the Belarusian Interior Ministry, three people have died during the protests.
Meanwhile, Lukashenko has said there will be no civil war in the country.
“If we start forcing each other to do something, you know what will happen. The civil war, at best. But don’t worry, this will not happen” the president said at a meeting with local residents in Baranovichi.