BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
07/03/2008
White House says Belarus action "unjustified"
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Friday called action by Belarus urging the U.S. ambassador to leave "unjustified" and said it further distanced the former Soviet state from Europe and the rest of the world.
Belarus recalled its ambassador to the United States and urged the U.S. ambassador to leave after Washington imposed new sanctions on a Belarus oil products firm.
"We strongly regret this unjustified action by the Belarussian government," Gordon Johndroe, White House National Security Council spokesman, said. "This is deeply disappointing and only takes them further away from Europe and the rest of the world."
The West has accused Belarus of infringing fundamental rights and criticized the 2006 reelection of President Alexander Lukashenko as improper.
"It is unfortunate that Belarus continues its repressive actions against its own citizens and President Bush and the United States will continue to stand with the people of Belarus as they seek to live in freedom," Johndroe said.
(Reporting by Tabassum Zakaria; Editing by Eric Walsh)
Source:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKN0719274520080307
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