Belarus: French ambassador leaves Minsk after Minsk expels him

 

France's ambassador to Belarus has left the country after the Belarus government ordered him out, AFP news agency reports.

An embassy spokesperson confirmed to AFP that ambassador Nicolas de Lacoste left the country on Sunday. He had been told to leave by Monday.

Mr de Lacoste, who is 57, was posted to Minsk late last year.

Local media have suggested that he had failed to present his credentials to President Alexander Lukashenko.

France, like other EU countries, has not recognised Mr Lukashenko's claim to a sixth presidential term after last August's elections amid widespread claims of voting fraud.

Mr de Lacoste instead met the Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei last December.

In a statement to AFP, a French embassy spokesperson said: "The Belarusian foreign ministry demanded that the ambassador leave before October 18.

"He said goodbye to the staff of the embassy and recorded a video message to the Belarusian people, which will appear tomorrow morning on the embassy's website," the spokesperson added.  

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