"We believe above all that the will of the people, which have spoke up in no uncertain terms during the referendum, must be respected", Igor Ivanov said.
In his opinion, even observers at the referendum which voice their claims regarding violations "have to recognise that people have spoken up definitely" despite a percentage of errors.
"With this active turnout and a clear-cut result hardly can anyone doubt that the decision (in favour of the third term) is the reflection of the majority mood of the electorate", the secretary of the Russian Security Council said. For this reason, Igor Ivanov sees whatever sanctions an undue reaction in this case, more so that "the imposition of sanctions is the prerogative of the United Nations Security Council".
"Of course, a country has the sovereign right to develop or not relations with another state. But, in today's international relations, when we talk of the need to build up in the 21st century new relations based on mutual trust and the strengthening of international security, use of methods of the cold-war period when a country unilaterally imposes sanctions against another country, is not in correspondence with the spirit of the time, nor the goals we have to face jointly", Igor Ivanov said.
"We, too, have unsettled problems with certain countries. But we believe that the only and best way towards their solution is dialogue, negotiations, search for a compromise", Igor Ivanov stressed.
He noted that "Russia has, with a set of examples, shown that this is possible with the presence of political will". "If anybody has questions to the Belarussian leadership, there are bilateral channels and multilateral mechanisms - the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Council of Europe, other structures - where these questions can be resolved", said the secretary of the Russian Security Council.
"We believe that sanctions is an undue measure, which does not correspond to the interests of strengthening European and international security. We say to our American and European partners that the best way is dialogue", Igor Ivanov stressed.
