BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

28/11/2006

Bush pledges help to Belarus in struggle for freedom

RIGA (AFP) - US President George W. Bush slammed the tyrannical regime of Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus and pledged to help the people there in their struggle to join the family of free Europe.

"As the new democracies of Europe join the institutions of Europe, we must not forget those who still languish in tyranny," Bush said in a speech delivered on his arrival in the Latvian capital for the NATO summit.

"Just across the border here lies Belarus, a place where peaceful protesters are beaten and opposition leaders are disappeared by agents of a cruel regime," he said.

"The existence of such oppression in our midst offends the conscience of Europe and the conscience of America."

Opposition leader Alexander Kozulin, who ran unsuccessfully against Lukashenko for the presidency of Belarus earlier this year, was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison for leading a post-election protest that was eventually put down in bloodshed.

"We have a message for the people of Belarus: the vision of a Europe whole, free and at peace includes you and we will stand with you in your struggle for freedom," Bush said.

Lukashenko has ruled Belarus, a former Soviet republic lodged between Poland, Russia and Ukraine, with an iron fist since 1994. His re-election in March was recognized by neighbouring Russia, but criticized by international observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

During a visit to Latvia in May last year, Bush called Lukashenko's regime "the last dictatorship in Europe."

Source:

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/061128/usa/nato_summit_us_belarus_1