MINSK. Nov 16 (Interfax-West) - Belarussian aircraft are not involved in any programs in Western Africa, in particular in the Ivory Coast, Belarussian Foreign Ministry press secretary Andrei Savinykh told Interfax on Monday.
Radio Liberty reported that the crew of an AN-12 Cub transport plane, of whom 15 members are citizens of CIS countries, are being held under guard at the airport of Abidjan in Ivory Coast.
"That plane is not Belarussian. It flies under private contracts not involving Belarussian companies," Savinykh said.
The Belarussian Foreign Ministry has asked the consular services of the Russian Foreign Ministry to ascertain the nationality of four crewmembers of the plane, he said. "To the best of our knowledge, the situation with the crew is normal and does not cause us any fear," Savinykh said.
French Defense Minister Michelle Alliot-Marie has reportedly said that Belarussian mercenaries piloted the two SU-25 Frogfoot combat planes that attacked French peacekeepers in Ivory Coast on November 6, killing nine servicemen.
An Ivory Coast Defense Ministry official said later that Ivorians had flown the planes, while 15 Belarussian mechanics had serviced the planes.