Aleksandr Lukashenko meets with Aslan Bzhania in occupied Abkhazia
By Liza Mchedlidze
Thursday, September 29, 2022
The president of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, arrived in occupied Abkhazia and met with the so-called President of occupied Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania in Bichvinta. Bzhania's website released the information regarding the meeting.
Lukashenko said within the framework of the meeting that he had talked about the issue of Abkhazia with the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, the previous day. According to him, they came to the conclusion that "they should not leave Abkhazia".
"Nostalgia never leaves us. A long time ago, I might have been 25-27 years old when I came to this holy land. Naturally, I was not the president [then]. You can say I was an ordinary person, a member of the parliament. Yesterday, with our elder brother, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, I discussed the problems of Abkhazia. We discussed this issue long into the night and came to the conclusion that we should not leave Abkhazia. We need to help it so that this area, the people who live here, can live normally," said Lukashenko.
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, his visit is not related to any special situation.
"We have a normal situation. We are not worried about any geopolitics. We, just like you, are peaceful, kind, hard-working people and we want to live in harmony. Economy, trade, and economic ties should become the foundation of our relationship. Nothing else is needed." Lukashenko said.
Belarus, according to Lukashenko, wants serious relations with occupied Abkhazia.
"I am an experienced man, I have been in politics for many years. Let's talk, and think about how we will continue our lives. The most important thing is that the people here live with dignity, because this is a small paradise, and the people here are holy. I still remember this from the Soviet times, when I was here. That's why we want to build not only a bridge of friendship but also a very serious relationship" Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
According to the President of Belarus, based on the current world situation, relations with "friends" should be strengthened.
"Russia is ready to support us. Perhaps the time has come. Today, like never before, we saw what the world has become. We are not tempted to live peacefully. Therefore, we must strengthen our relations with our friends." Lukashenko added.
