BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

07/05/2008

EU chides Belarus for accusing US diplomats of recruiting spies; urges better ties

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) - The European Union says Belarus' claim that American diplomats there were recruiting spies is unjustified and harmful.

The EU presidency has called on Belarus to reconsider the decision to declare some of the U.S. embassy staff as unwanted personnel and swiftly normalize relations with Washington.

The EU presidency in Slovenia expressed concerns over recent developments and expressed solidarity with Washington in its statement late Tuesday.

Belarus on Monday accused the U.S. of recruiting 10 local citizens into a spy ring, further straining relations with Washington. The U.S. denied the allegation. Most employees of the U.S. Embassy were expelled in recent months after the U.S. imposed sanctions on a state-controlled company and travel restrictions on authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Source:

http://www.pr-inside.com/eu-chides-belarus-for-accusing-us-r576588.htm

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