Foreign Minister dismisses Belarus leadership's accusations of causing unrest

Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda has dismissed claims that the Czech Republic has been interfering with Belarusian internal affairs. The Belarusian authorities say Czech diplomats in Minsk are purposefully causing unrest, ahead of the presidential elections, with the distribution of opposition leaflets. Bilateral relations have been strained, as the Czech Republic criticises the former Soviet country's President Alexander Lukashenko of violating human rights. Speaking at a Prague conference on Belarus on Thursday, Mr Svoboda said the document that Czech diplomats are handing out is a UN Human Rights Commission report on Belarus.

Among those who attended the conference on Thursday were the President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Rene van der Linden, Slovak Foreign Minister Eduard Kukan, and Belarusian oppision member and presidential candidate Aleksander Milinkievich.