MOSCOW, August 24. /TASS/: Moscow notes that the Belarusian protesters’ actions do not lead to clashes with the law enforcement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday, expressing hope that clashes will also be avoided in the future.
"So far, we note that no provocation from the protesters took place. We note that the law enforcement agencies perform their duties correctly. […] We hope that any provocations in this regard will be successfully avoided and prevented in the future," Peskov told journalists.
The spokesman noted that various rallies in Belarus do not lead to riots.
"Consecutively, there is no need for any harsh measures from the law enforcement," he said.
Peskov also said that Russia is not in talks with the Belarusian opposition’s coordination council.
"No, we have no channels of contacts. No talks are underway," Peskov said, while answering media questions if Moscow tried to establish contacts with the oppositional forces in Belarus.
Moscow prefers politicians that advocate cooperation between Russia and Belarus, but Kremlin has no intention to meddle in the situation in the neighboring country, according to the Kremlin spokesman.
"Of course, we prefer those politicians in Belarus who advocate consistent movement towards allied relations, who advocate mutually beneficial partnership between our two brotherly nations," he said.
In the meantime, the spokesman underscored that making any contacts with the opposition would fall into meddling in Belarus’s internal affairs category in any case.
"We criticize those who do it, we consider it wrong and we are not going to do it ourselves. At least, not now, during this so-called ‘hot phase’," he said.
According to Peskov, Belarus’ opposition has scant intentions to maintain friendly ties with Russia.
"We saw some texts, some text drafts which were accessible in the media outlets, they are still accessible where the intentions to continue friendly relations were declared in the least degree," the spokesman said answering a reporter’s question whether there are those among the Belarusian opposition who expresses serious anti-Russian views.
The Kremlin representative noted that the Coordination council of the Belarusian opposition is a somewhat informal structure and its "position on various issues is mobile, it changes." "There is no clear position, thus it is difficult for us to make a judgement in this case," he added.
The spokesman refused to comment on the actions of security structures during rallies in Belarus. "This is the internal affair of Belarus, we are not going to interfere," he said.
The Kremlin spokesman also declined to comment on the footage of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko arriving at his residence in a bulletproof vest carrying a machine gun. "I will not answer this question," the Kremlin representative said.
