BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

07/10/2008

OSCE: Belarus should not be isolated anymore

The Associated Press

MINSK, Belarus: The West should stop isolating the government of Belarus, the chairman of the OSCE said Tuesday.

Alexander Stubb's statement on behalf of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe signaled the European Union might consider easing sanctions against Belarus, even though OSCE monitors said the Belarusian election last month fell short of democratic standards.

"My message is clear: it's time to turn the page in Belarusian-European relations," said Stubb, who is also Finland's foreign minister. The OSCE is a security-oriented intergovernmental organization.

The U.S. and EU have imposed economic and travel sanctions on Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and demanded he end his crackdown on the opposition.

Lukashenko, who has ruled the nation of 10 million people since 1994, recently signaled his intention to improve ties with the West at a time when he is arguing with Russia over energy prices.

Earlier this year, Belarusian authorities freed jailed opposition figures after Western governments demanded they be freed. And Belarus' government allowed opposition candidates to take part in Sept. 28 parliamentary elections, though none of the 70 opposition candidates won seats in Parliament.

The United States and the European Union became more receptive to Lukashenko's overtures after Russia's war with Georgia in August. Washington lifted some of the sanctions before the election. The EU hasn't acted yet because of the OSCE's assessment.

Stubb said Tuesday the vote showed progress.

"The OSCE and the European Union noted improvements in the ballot," Stubb said. "Belarus shouldn't be isolated, and Europe's policy toward it is changing."

Belarus' foreign minister plans to visit Luxembourg next week for discussions with EU officials.

Anatoly Lebedko, the leader of the opposition United Civil Party said he opposes lifting all Western sanctions against Belarus.

"The West is ready to turn a blind eye to some of Lukashenko's actions to prevent Belarus from becoming Moscow's protectorate," Lebedko told The Associated Press.

Alexander Klaskovsky, an independent political analyst, said Lukashenko was using his rapprochement with the West to force Moscow to continue selling energy to Belarus at relatively low prices.

The latest round of energy talks between Lukashenko and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ended Monday without any clear progress.

Source:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/07/europe/EU-Belarus-OSCE.php

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