French Ambassador Nicolas de Lacoste to act as special envoy for Belarus after being forced to leave Minsk

<p> MINSK, Oct 19 - PrimePress. After being forced to leave Belarus, Nicolas de Lacoste, the French Ambassador, shall assume the role of special envoy for Belarus from 18 Oct 2021, while the French Embassy in Minsk will continue its operations, said Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France said in a statement. </p> <p>   </p> <p> The statement says that, de Lacoste left Belarus on 17 October “following a unilateral decision by the Belarusian authorities to terminate the accreditation issued to him on 31 August 2020, due to the Ambassador's failure to present his credentials to Mr Lukashenko”. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “In line with the EU common stance on the non-recognition of the legitimacy of the August 2020 presidential election results, the French Ambassador did indeed not present his credentials to Mr Lukashenko. A copy of the credentials was handed over to the Belarusian Foreign Minister in accordance with diplomatic rules,” the French Foreign Ministry said. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “This unjustified decision by the Belarusian authorities followed a series of negative decisions that limited the capacity of our embassy in Minsk. Consequently, proportionate measures have been taken with regard to the Belarusian diplomatic mission in France, of which the Belarusian authorities have been notified. France will continue to support the Belarusian people in promoting a sustainable political solution to the Belarusian crisis, as it has been doing since August 2020, in close coordination and in line with the positions defined together with its European Union partners,” reads the statement. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Anatoly Glaz, spokesman for the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explained on 18 October: “Mr de Lacoste came to Belarus in November 2020 as the appointed Ambassador of France and handed over the copy of his credentials to the minister of foreign affairs of Belarus in December 2020. However, subsequently, the head of the French diplomatic mission would not complete the procedure of taking office as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Belarus in accordance with the international law and generally recognized practice.” </p> <p>   </p> <p> “In this regard, we were forced to inform our French partners that the agrement to his appointment issued earlier by the Belarusian authorities expired,” Glaz said. Belarusian Ambassador to France Igor Fisenko was recalled to Minsk for consultations. End </p>

2021-10-20

Primepress