German, French, Polish foreign ministers hit out at Lukashenko

Berlin (dpa) – The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Poland agreed during a meeting in the German city of Weimar on Friday to chart a common course in their dealings with the president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko.

“The situation in Belarus remains a disgrace in the middle of Europe,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said, accusing the Belarusian leader of using repression to pacify the country.

“We won’t stand idly by,” Maas said at the meeting, which was held to mark the 30th anniversary of the Weimar Triangle, a loose grouping that aims to promote cooperation between the three countries.

Maas also condemned Lukashenko’s threat to allow large numbers of refugees to cross from Belarus into EU member states.

Poland, Lithuania and Latvia have accused Lukashenko of deliberately inflaming the situation.

Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau called for a joint approach. “In light of the crisis, it is important that we show solidarity here,” he said.

Poland was observing the situation in Belarus and Lukashenko’s attempts to centralize power with unease, Rau said.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian also emphasized the need for cooperation.

The grouping, named after the German city of Weimar, was set up in 1991, when the foreign ministers of the three countries first met two years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The aim at the time was closer ties between the three nations, although initial enthusiasm for the project has waned over the years, particularly in light of worsening EU-Polish relations.