Aleksandr Lukashenko gives interview to The Independent, BBC

President of the Republic of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko gave an interview to the British newspaper Independent and the TV channel BBC on 9 October.

The interview focused on various aspects of the country’s foreign and domestic policy, economy, social development. Aleksandr Lukashenko also answered a number of personal questions. Special attention was drawn to public progress and democracy development.

Particularly, speaking about the events in North Africa and the Middle East, the President remarked: “The situation in these countries was difficult but as good as the situation in other countries. However, someone needed to set the Arabic arc alight. In the very first days when these revolutions started, I said that the West should be condemned for the interference. Nobody has the right to interfere in domestic affairs of the state, and it is up to them to resolve their problems. Once things settled down in Tunisia, all the excitement went to Libya. There is still worse to come!”

“Today we see where it has ended: the entire arc is alight. Iraq is on the one side and the fire is being fanned into Iran, on the other side there are Tunisia, Algeria, and so on. It is very hot everywhere. But it is surprising that certain countries have not been affected, though the situation in the countries which maintain the tightest relations with the USA is the same. Aren’t you concerned about it?” the head of state said. “I know why this is happening. It is obvious to the naked eye that an overseas scenario is in progress. After the situation started unfolding in the way the script writers did not like, they started barefaced bombing. But it is not the point. The point is why it was necessary. I said then where it would lead and it happened exactly that way. Did they want to Islamize the Arab East? No. They are not happy now if they understand what they had been doing and what they are doing now,” the President added.

The President stressed that nobody needs exported revolutions. “Why do they export democracy then? The democracy they meant it to be. Democracy is good, but is the nation ready and are there conditions in the country to accept such a democracy? They saw that it was impossible, that the countries were not ready for such things. What kind of democracy is there in Iraq today if every day bombs are blown up and hundreds of people die there and even worse, thousands of people are crippled? How many people have been killed? Who needs such a democracy?” the head of state wondered.

“They wanted to split Iraq, I know it well, they needed the oil. Can anyone fail to understand it today? Democracy is a front, a cover-up for the robbery. Hence we hear the spiel about democracy. Therefore, democracy is not what they are talking about,” Aleksandr Lukashenko added.

The interview took nearly four hours, with Aleksandr Lukashenko answering over 60 questions.