MFA: Belarus recalls its envoy to UK amid London's "unfriendly steps"

Belarus is recalling its ambassador to the UK due to a number of unfriendly steps taken by London, a decision has been made to downgrade the diplomatic mission, Anatoly Glaz, a spokesman for the republic's Foreign Ministry, announced on July 29.

"Due to a number of UK's unfriendly steps, systematically aimed at causing maximum damage to Belarusian citizens and legal entities, it was decided to downgrade our country's diplomatic mission in London to temporary charge d'affaires," he said in a statement published on the Foreign Ministry's website, according to TASS.

Glaz noted that the withdrawal of the ambassador does not mean that Minsk is closing channels of communication with London. "When the current internal political show is over and responsible politicians appear in the British government, who will work not for their personal ratings, but for the benefit of the British people and stability in the European region, there will be preconditions for the restoration of dialogue and a full-fledged diplomatic presence," he added.

The Foreign Ministry’s representative explains that the introduction of unprecedented sanctions against Belarusians, employees of enterprises, the Belarusian economy and financial system, restrictions on the Belarusian journalists and media, the groundless ban on Belavia flights, arbitrary withholding of visas for Belarusian representatives to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and other illegal restrictive measures "at this stage do not allow to engage in meaningful dialogue".

According to Glaz, despite everything that is going on, "the Belarusians preserve good relations and good interpersonal contacts with the British, which will only be encouraged by official Minsk, including by facilitating freedom of movement". "This allows us to look into the future with a certain optimism. When we see possibilities for resuming constructive interaction with the UK, we will make a decision accordingly," he concluded.