Belarus President Lukashenko sacks foreign minister

The dismissal on Monday was part of a sweeping reshuffle that follows a diplomatic row between Belarus and Sweden, AFP reported.
 
However, Lukashenko's office did not immediately explain the decision to replace Martynov with the powerful presidential administration chief Makey.
 
Born in 1958, Makey served as an advisor to the president since 2000 after starting his diplomatic career.
 
    He was named the presidential administration chief in 2008 -- a post with sweeping powers thanks to Lukashenko's full control of both foreign and domestic affairs in the 10-million-strong nation.
 
 
An incident that angered Europe struck this month when Minsk expelled the ambassador of Sweden and ordered out all its diplomats after a Swedish public relations firm claimed to have conducted a protest with an air-drop of teddy bears carrying messages on human rights.
 
Lukashenko at the end of July used the incident to fire the country's top border control official and air force commander for failing to protect the border.