OREANDA-NEWS. April 15, 2010. The removal of nuclear arms from Belarus was a major mistake, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said.

“I think that the removal of nuclear arms from Belarus on the terms our nationalists agreed to was a major mistake,” said the President. “I had to ink the document because there was no other way out: both Russia and the USA pressured me to remove the weapons because we had made the promise. We should not have done it, it was a greatest heritage, an expensive product that we would have sold it at a hefty price in the end,” he said.

The President reminded that Belarus extracted the nuclear weapons in exchange for promised safety from the leading nuclear powers. “If we had these weapons now, they would talk differently. But we’ve removed them. Can we have our security? No”.

Alexander Lukashenko said that Belarus has kept highly enriched uranium, hundreds of kilograms of virtually weapon-grade uranium and lower grade uranium. “For many years they’ve been telling me: remove the uranium. Either to Russia or to America, we will pay you. I tell them: first, why do you dictate our actions? It is our commodity. We keep it under IAEA control. We are not going to make and sell dirty bombs. We use the uranium for research purposes,” he said. “I am now with my back against the wall. With a knife to my throat they demand to give the uranium away. I tell them: we gave away the nuclear weapons once and what do we have now?” remarked the head of state.

The President stressed that nobody will be allowed to dictate conditions to Belarus. “Let’s negotiate what should be done with this large amount of enriched uranium”. Alexander Lukashenko understands the concern of other countries but pointed out that Belarus can preserve the nuclear material like it has done since the country gained independence.

Speaking about the decision of the USA administration to hold a world summit on nuclear matters without Belarus, the head of state said that he was not going to participate. “If you don’t want to give away the uranium, we will not invite you to the summit. I tell them: thanks but I was not going to attend. Even if Belarus was invited, I was not going to go there. When Israel expected questions about nuclear arms, it gave up on the summit. My answer was roughly along the same lines”.

“I will not allow anyone to bend over Belarus. We will talk only respectfully, like partners however hard America or Russia may pressure us. The pressure is from two sides and we feel it”. The head of state also added that Belarus has always been a very reliable and responsible partner for any country and community in all the matters regarding nuclear security and has always honored its obligations. “We are serious and responsible people. We don’t take bribes for that and we are not going to sell this [nuclear] material to anyone, even for much money in a secret manner,” stated the President.

Alexander Lukashenko believes that the lack of the invitation for Belarus’ participation in the summit means that “neither Americans nor the West on the whole can be trusted”. “Russia would always hear us and understand us. If not for the mess that has been triggered by you know what reasons, the Russians would always understand and support us. It has never been like that with the West or the USA. There can be other considerations. Why we have to invite Lukashenko and up his ratings before the elections? I am good enough with today’s ratings to get elected the president”. Alexander Lukashenko added “if Russia, Kazakhstan and other CIS states had been reliable friends, they would have made it a firm point: Belarus is ours and must attend the summit. Americans would have had nothing to do but agree”. He also remarked that he is calm about the situation. “It is more pleasant for me to talk to you on the bank of the River Pripyat than sweat it out in Washington”.