The overseas minister of Belarus Vladimir Makei has died all of a sudden on the age of 64, the nation's overseas ministry stated.
"Vladimir Makei, Minister of Overseas Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, has all of a sudden handed away right this moment," the overseas ministry stated on its official Fb account, with out offering extra particulars concerning the circumstances surrounding the overseas minister's dying.
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on Saturday expressed his condolences to the household and mates of Makei, in keeping with a press release printed on the presidential web site.
Makei had been scheduled to satisfy with Russian Overseas Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday.
The Russian Ministry of Overseas Affairs stated in a press release that it was mourning the information of his dying, describing him as a "true buddy" of Russia.
"The management and workers of the Ministry of Overseas Affairs of the Russian Federation deeply mourn the premature dying on November 26 of this 12 months of the Minister of Overseas Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Vladimir Vladimirovich Makei," the assertion learn.
"An excellent diplomat and statesman, a real patriot who devoted his life to serving his Motherland and defending its pursuits within the worldwide enviornment, has handed away.
"Vladimir Vladimirovich Makei was a real buddy of Russia, who made a novel contribution to the excellent improvement of broad bilateral cooperation, the integrating institution of the Union State, and the strengthening of ties between the fraternal peoples of Russia and Belarus.
"Vladimir Vladimirovich Makei will ceaselessly stay in our hearts as a person of a broad soul and deep knowledge, an excellent skilled, colleague and devoted comrade, who received the love and respect not solely of the residents of his nation, but in addition far past the borders of Belarus."
The Russian Overseas Ministry confirmed that Lavrov's scheduled go to to Minsk on Monday had been postponed following Makei's dying.
'Pleasant strategy' to Ukraine
Makei was born in 1958 within the Belarusian area of Grodno, in keeping with his official bio on the overseas ministry's web site.
In 1980 he graduated from the Minsk State Pedagogical Institute of Overseas Languages. From 1980 to 1993 he served within the Armed Forces of the USSR and Belarus, earlier than changing into assistant to the President of Belarus.
From 2008 to 2012 he served as Head of the Administration of the President of Belarus.
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Makei had been the Minister of Overseas Affairs of Belarus since August 22, 2012.
He had the diplomatic rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
Within the lead-up to Russia's invasion in February, Makei emphasised that nobody would assault Ukraine from the territory of Belarus.
This was acknowledged throughout a phone dialog between the defence ministers of Belarus and Ukraine and reiterated by Makei at a press convention in Minsk, in keeping with a report in Belarusian information company Belta.
In line with the minister, the phone dialog came about on the initiative of Kyiv.
He burdened that Belarus all the time stands for an open dialogue and is able to conduct it on any delicate points.
"The problems had been mentioned in a optimistic approach. A lot was clarified for either side, primarily for the Ukrainian aspect. From our aspect, a press release was clearly made that nobody was going to assault," the minister stated in feedback that had been proved flawed a number of days later.
He added that Belarus has by no means departed from the pleasant strategy in relations with its neighbour Ukraine.
On February 28, Makei was quoted by Belta as saying that Belarus was able to contribute to the decision of the disaster between Russia and Ukraine.
"After all, all Belarusians are taken with having a concrete outcome," he stated in keeping with the company.