Фото: Офис Тихановской
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met today with New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters.
According to Tsikhanouskaya’s Office, she proposed that New Zealand join the International Humanitarian Fund to assist victims of repression in Belarus. The fund has already been supported by ten European countries. She also suggested that New Zealand support Lithuania’s appeal to the International Criminal Court regarding crimes against humanity.
Both sides agreed to develop cooperation between the New Zealand government and Belarus’s democratic forces, and to consider the possibility of joint humanitarian and cultural projects, including those involving Australia.
“Belarus today is a place where freedom and tyranny collide. If our country remains under the dictatorship of the regime and under Russia’s influence, it will always pose a threat to both Europe and the entire world. That is why supporting Belarus is an investment in peace. If such a distant country as New Zealand supports Belarusians, it will be a powerful signal of solidarity: Belarus remains on the global agenda,” Tsikhanouskaya emphasized.
During the meeting, the discussion also touched on pressure on Lukashenka. Tsikhanouskaya called for maintaining a clear distinction between the people and the regime.