European ambassadors have been withdrawn from Belarus

Date: 25/06/1998

“following the unacceptable behaviour of the Belarusian authorities over heads of missions' residences” according to a UK presidency statement. The ambassadors had been told their compound at Drozdy needed urgent repairs, but there was speculation that Belarus dictator Aleksander Lukashenko wanted the premises for himself. “In particular, the EU objected in the strongest terms to the cut-off of water, electricity and telephone utilities, and refusal to allow ambassadors' vehicles to enter the residential complex,” said the statement.