BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

23/08/2007

Belarus to retaliate on visas for U.S. officials

MINSK (Reuters) - Belarus said on Wednesday that it was retaliating against punitive Western measures by toughening rules for U.S. officials wanting to visit the ex-Soviet state, but promised to make entry easier for other travelers.

The United States, following the lead of the European Union, last month expanded a list of Belarussian officials barred entry in connection with human rights violations and the disputed re-election last year of President Alexander Lukashenko.

Belarus said then it would impose counter-measures but gave no details. On Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Vanshina said authorities in Minsk had no choice but to respond.

"In response to the unfriendly act of the United States, Belarus will impose corresponding visa restrictions for specific categories of U.S. officials," she said in a statement on the ministry's web site.

"But let me stress that retaliatory measures will in no way affect personal contacts between Belarussians and Americans."

Vanshina's statement gave no further details. But she said U.S. tourists and businessmen wishing to visit would be issued visas to the country, which lies between Russia and three EU states, without having to provide letters of invitation.

This was "an act of good will and underscores the friendly character of Belarussian foreign policy," she said.

The U.S. restrictions expanded a list of judges and election officials to include more legal officials, officers in the interior ministry and the intelligence service, still known as the KGB, and heads of state enterprises.

Washington said it had toughened the measures despite Belarussian moves to ease pressure on opposition activists.

Both the United States and the European Union denounced as rigged Lukashenko's re-election to a third term last year.

They also accuse the president of hounding his opponents and closing down independent media, and demand the release of what they describe as political prisoners.

Lukashenko remains broadly popular and tells Belarussians he has spared them upheavals that have jolted other ex-Soviet states. He has called for improved ties with the West since quarrelling with traditional ally Russia over energy prices, but rejects any suggestion he must first improve his rights record.

An opposition activist released earlier this year, Pavel Severinets, was sentenced on Wednesday to 15 days in prison on charges of illegal assembly when presenting a new book.

The web site of Alexander Milinkevich, who challenged the president in last year's election, said other activists faced similar charges in connection with the incident.

Severinets was jailed in 2004 but freed ahead of time last May in what the opposition said was an attempt by authorities to forestall the imposition of new EU trade sanctions.

Source:

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=a050c32d-940f-48f0-baa9-3ef051cd07a7&k=23440