Emergency UN Security Council meeting scheduled after Belarusian hijacking – Stringer / TASS / Sipa USA / SIPA
While the Belarusian opposition had called on the United States and the G7 to increase pressure on the regime of Alexander Lukashenko, the UN Security Council will meet on Wednesday, a diplomat said. An informal emergency closed-door meeting on Belarus, accused of hijacking a European airliner on Sunday to arrest an opponent on board, diplomatic sources learned Tuesday.
This session, which should be virtual, was requested by France, Ireland and Estonia, diplomats said. These last two countries are currently non-permanent members of the Security Council, France being one of the five permanent members.
Belarusian international isolation
Diplomats said it was unlikely that the UN Security Council could agree at this meeting on a joint declaration. Belarus’ staunch support, Russia should oppose it, one predicted, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The international isolation of Belarus grew on Tuesday with the entry into force of restrictions against its airspace, in retaliation against the regime of Alexander Lukashenko accused of the hijacking.
A false bomb threat to stop an opponent?
The Belarusian authorities had sent fighters in the sky on Sunday to “recommend” to a commercial flight of the Irish company Ryanair from Athens to Vilnius to land in Minsk, arguing a bomb threat attributed to the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.
But on arrival, no bombs were found and two passengers – Roman Protassevich, a 26-year-old Belarusian opposition journalist and his Russian companion, Sofia Sapéga – were arrested, sparking widespread international condemnation.