“Scandalous is the point that Russia’s opinion was absolutely ignored by brotherly Belarus: Zatulin

Interview with Konstantin Zatulin, first deputy chairman of the committee of the State Duma for the CIS and Eurasian integration (“Edinaya Rossiya” (United Russia) party). The latter was repeatedly “blacklisted” by Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, currently he is involved in that list for visiting Artsakh.

Mr. Zatulin, actually ignoring appeals of two Eurasian partners and Israel, however, Minsk extradited blogger Lapshin with citizenships of Russia and Israel. What’s your assessment to Lapshin’s case in general and decision by Minsk?

My assessment is rather negative, there can’t be any other opinion. I didn’t anticipate such decision. Prior to extradition I repeatedly touched upon that topic in Russian media outlets, warning that the decision made by the court of Belarus on Lapshin’s extradition is developing new, negative practice not only in the post-Soviet space, but in general, as international relations not only bilaterally reduced to the level of personal fortune, in this case sentencing a person having no guilt. I have also repeatedly stated that calls and position of Russia, Foreign Ministries of Israel and Armenia, international community should be taken into consideration.

We hoped that, first and foremost, such a decision won’t be made, and secondly, extradition won’t be implemented. Currently we’re going to have a hearing at State Duma and I’ll propose to adopt a statement on this issue, as I’m sure we shouldn’t be indifferent toward such temptations which, of course, shows Russian Foreign Ministry by actively dealing with this issue.

In your opinion why did authorities of Belarus make that decision?

I don’t want to discuss reasons of extradition. I consider responsibility of this decision is on both countries—Azerbaijan and Belarus. However, the desire to maintain good relations with different countries within CIS, one of them is our closest partner, as it comprises a part of unions with us—EEU, CSTO, the other, not being a member of these organizations, is a CIS member, our neighbor, shifting its own dissatisfaction, its own ambitions or building its own relations on their account are absolutely unacceptable and can’t remain without implications for Russia-Azerbaijan and Russia-Belarus relations.

Mr. Zatulin, what implications do you mean? After Lapshin’s extradition heated discussions are developing at Armenian National Assembly, where the MPs demand to send a protest note to Belarus, recall the ambassador, raise the issue of Belarus’ membership to CSTO and etc. Such decisions discredit existent system of values in organizations, part of which are Armenia, Russia and Belarus, don’t they?

As I said, implications will be recorded, for the time being it’s difficult to say which decisions will be made. Russian Foreign Ministry continues dealing with the issue, by not underestimating its responsibility, our Foreign Ministry fights for each Russian citizen appearing in such condition, let it be in USA or Azerbaijan. The factor of his second, third, fourth citizenship isn’t important to us, the fact that Lapshin is a citizen of Russia is important to us. Moreover, it’s scandalous, instigating that our opinion was absolutely ignored by brotherly country, which isn’t simply in some formats with us, but is in a partner organization and partner relations.

However, as you know, that brotherly state in the period of recent years never supports Russia in conflict situations, when it refers to South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Ukraine, worsening of relations with Turkey. In the period of Russia-Turkey tension Lukashenko even rushed to Turkey and appeared at the summit of organizations from Islamic states, which is rather strange on account of the circumstance that Belarus has no relation with Islamic states. We have such a partner, what can I say?

You said that a negative practice is developing for the conflict zones, i.e. do you think this may really become a precedent and people, who were blacklisted by Azerbaijan may be extradited from third countries to Baku, including you, as you are also in the list for visiting Artsakh?

Yes, I’m in the black list. Of course, I can pose that question to me, although, as compared to Lapshin, I don’t have citizenship, I have a diplomatic passport. But I don’t know where the border of friendship between Alexander Lukashenko and Ilham Aliyev ends.

By Araks Martirosyan