Armenia Recalls Ambassador from Belarus

YEREVAN — Armenia recalled its ambassador from Belarus on Thursday as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan deplored Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s recent pro-Azerbaijani statements.

Visiting Azerbaijan about a month ago, Lukashenko declared that he had not only been aware of Baku’s plans to try to reconquer Nagorno-Karabakh by force but also approved them during his meetings with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held before the 2020 war. Official Yerevan did not react to that admission until now.

Pashinyan pointed to it in the context of his continuing criticism of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

“One of CSTO leaders has declared that he participated in the preparation of the 44-day war, encouraged and wished for the victory of Azerbaijan. After that, should I go and sit down with the President of Belarus in the CSTO format and discuss any issue?” Pashinyan said.

“I declare that I will never visit Belarus as long as Alexander Lukashenko is its president,” he told the Armenian parliament. “And in general, no official representative of Armenia will visit Belarus at this point.”

Shortly afterwards, the Armenian Foreign Ministry announced the recall of Armenia’s ambassador in Minsk “for consultations.” The ministry gave no reason for the move.

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry summoned another Armenian diplomat in Minsk to demand explanations regarding Pashinyan’s comments. The ministry spokesman, Anatoly Glaz, announced afterwards that Minsk will likewise recall its ambassador to Armenia “in view of the developments.”