BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
07/03/2008
Belarus urges U.S. ambassador to leave
By Andrei Makhovsky
MINSK, March 7 (Reuters) - Belarus, accused in the West of violating fundamental rights, recalled its ambassador to the United States on Friday and urged the U.S. envoy to leave the ex-Soviet state.
Washington, where officials have described Belarus as Europe's last dictatorship, said the measure was unjustified and served to further isolate the country.
A Belarussian foreign ministry spokesman said Minsk had been taking measures to improve ties with the West, but the latest moves were prompted by U.S. sanctions imposed on Belarus's national oil products firm Belneftekhim.
"One of these steps is the recall of Belarus's ambassador in Washington for consultations," spokesman Andrei Popov said. "At the same time and for the same purpose, Belarus urges the U.S. ambassador to leave our country."
In Washington, White House National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe expressed regret at "this unjustified action by the Belarussian government".
"This is deeply disappointing and only takes them further away from Europe and the rest of the world," he said.
The U.S. embassy in Minsk said ambassador Karen Stewart was in the country, but offered no further comment.
A U.S. embassy spokesman in Minsk said ambassador Karen Stewart was "examining the Belarussian recommendations".
State Department spokesman Tom Casey said she would leave if asked to do so. "Obviously, if they do not wish our ambassador to stay in country, our ambassador will leave."
WESTERN SANCTIONS
Lukashenko has sought improved relations with the West, particularly the European Union, after quarrelling with Russia last year over energy prices.
But he threatened to expel Stewart, an outspoken critic of his policies, late last year if new sanctions were imposed against his country, wedged between Russia and three EU states.
Both the United States and European Union have barred Lukashenko on grounds that he rigged his 2006 re-election.
Washington last year imposed sanctions against Belneftekhim, prohibiting Americans from doing business with the refiner and freezing any assets it has under U.S. jurisdiction.
A source close to Belarus's government said the new action followed a U.S. note on those sanctions which "allowed for a broad interpretation of a list of firms linked to Belneftekhim. The Belarussian side viewed that as additional sanctions."
As part of moves to improve relations, particularly with the EU, courts have in recent months freed several opposition activists considered by the West to be political prisoners.
But the country's most prominent detainee, Alexander Kozulin, is still serving a 5-1/2 year term for helping organise protests against the president's re-election two years ago.
Casey said he believed Belarus's action was in response to "the reissuance of basically our existing sanctions". He also expressed regret that Kozulin had yet to be released.
As Belarus announced its action, officials in Brussels signed a memorandum of understanding providing for the presence of a permanent EU delegation in Minsk. EU countries have voiced hope that a September parliamentary election could improve ties.
A leading member of the opposition said it believed the new measure was an attempt to play the United States against the EU.
"The authorities are trying to resort to 'divide and conquer'," said Alexander Lebedko of the United Civic party. "They are portraying a constructive Europe with which dialogue is possible, and demonising the United States." (Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammad in Washington, Writing by Ron Popeski, editing by Mark Trevelyan)
Source:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKL0780146420080307
Archive
