Will “Milk War“ End with Piece?

The "milk war" that broke out a week ago between Belarus and Russia has led to an appreciable cooling of the brotherly relations of the Union State’s member-states. Alaxandar Lukashenka has also added "milk" to the flames boycotting the summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) in Moscow. According to news reports, the "milk war" may be followed by fish and gas battles. How will this unexpected face-off end?

The accurate scenario of solving the conflict cannot be predicted yet, the chairperson of the United Civic Party Anatol Labiedzka says.

"The events may develop according to several scenarios. One can expect that Russia will act in its traditional way making concessions to Lukashenka as its ally. Another scenario takes into account the fact that Russia has more possibilities and instruments for influence, and Belarus does not have time to find new outlets. Because you know the issue is not only milk, now there is a talk about fish produce as well. This can invite social and economic crisis which will spill out of factories and will gain threatening nature; not hundreds of thousands, but millions of people will suffer from it."

"Belarus has always bound its economy to the Russian market and now can reap the fruits of its policy" said the politician.

"It is high time for Belarus to have normal borders along the whole of its perimeter and to focus on the co-operation with democratic European countries", said the chairperson of the BPF Party Vincuk Viacorka in the interview with www.udf.by.

"Belarus should have regular borders along its perimeter; its current and future sovereignty depends on this. This concerns in particular the eastern border. The prospects of the Union State have always been vague and shadowy."

"As of the refusal to participate in the formation of the CSTO Collective Rapid Deployment Forces, Belarus does not want to be engaged into the political project under the obviously Russia’s influence."

"The measures that Lukashenka has promised to undertake are forced. This is a policy not for the protection of our country, but for tender with Russia. This is necessary for maintaining status quo, in order to further count upon Russia’s subsidies, markets, and loans."

"Belarus needs to consent to democratic reforms and re-focus on the democratic countries of the Western Europe."

The chair of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada) Anatol Laukovič has a more optimistic view of the situation.

"This is not the best course of events in the relations between Belarus and Russia. On the other hand, Russia behaves awkwardly. After all, we are neighbours, even allies. I don’t understand why Russia solves technical questions in such a way that it has an effect on the relations between countries. It comes out that the chief sanitary inspector Onischenko runs the political process."

"I believe that Belarus and Russia will not get away from each other, because we are neighbours by god. The problem will get a solution."

Ludmila Maroz