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Minsk's recognition of Georgian breakaway regions would harm relations with EU

The recognition of Georgia's breakaway regions by Belarus would "harm" Minsk's relations with the European Union and the United States, the EUobserver online newspaper said with reference to an unnamed senior Lithuanian diplomat, as quoted by BelaPAN.

In addition, he said, Georgia could block Minsk's participation in the EU Eastern Partnership program "and Lukashenka knows this well."

"The other consequences could include [EU] visa sanctions, no more money from the IMF, the EBRD, the EIB, no new agreements with the EU and no opening of the EU market," the diplomat was quoted as saying.

The most recent war of words between Minsk and Moscow is a sign of the latter's frustration that fellow member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Collective Security Treaty Organization have refused to follow suit and recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states.