BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

30/12/2007

Belarus strongly opposing U.S. sanctions

MINSK, Belarus, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Belarus has strongly opposed potential sanctions from the United States, even threatening to expel the U.S. ambassador should they take place.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said he would expel U.S. Ambassador Karen Stewart from the republic should her country decide to impose any additional economic sanctions against his country, RIA Novosti reported Sunday.

"She (the ambassador) would be the first to be kicked out. She attends opposition hangouts and says economic sanctions could be introduced against Belarus, heating up the situation. Let the American ambassador deal with her own problems, for otherwise she may leave her post in Belarus ahead of time," Lukashenko said.

The Belarus petrochemical company Belneftekhim has already been the target of U.S. sanctions at home and abroad for reportedly breaching a bilateral trade deal.

Belarus also faced sanctions regarding its ongoing involvement in the Venezuelan oil trade, a practice Lukashenko adamantly defends.

"They don't like that we have started working in Venezuela. ... But we go where we are accepted," the president said of those dealings.

Source:

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2007/12/30/belarus_strongly_opposing_us_sanctions/9685/