BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

Jul. 20, 2005 at 3:46AM

American expelled in anti-West 'cleanup'

A U.S. university professor who was expelled from Belarus believes the move was part of an anti-Western "cleanup" ahead of next year's general elections.

Last week, Belarusian authorities gave Terry Boesch and his two daughters 24 hours to leave the country. Boesch, who taught business and law at Belarusian State University in Minsk since 2003, says the government did not explain its decision to deny his visa extension.

He believes, however, that his case is part of a campaign to rid Belarus of Western influence ahead of next year's general elections, RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty reported Wednesday.

Boesch told RFE/RL he avoided politics and contacts with the opposition while in Belarus, concentrating on academic and humanitarian activities, including donations of more than 40,000 English-language textbooks.

Last year, state ideology was introduced as an obligatory course at all universities in Belarus, and the government closed the European Humanities University in Minsk, a school that provided Western-style education and promoted the exchange of ideas between students from Belarus and the West.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko later acknowledged that the university was closed because it was training a new Belarusian elite that would make the nation pro-Western, RFE/RL said.

Source:

http://washingtontimes.com/upi/20050720-034140-3289r.htm

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