EU MAY ACT TO BAN BELARUSIAN SPORTS MINISTER FROM

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 003224

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/UMB AND EUR/ERA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/29/2009
TAGS: KOLY PHUM PREL GR BO EUN USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT: EU MAY ACT TO BAN BELARUSIAN SPORTS MINISTER FROM
OLYMPICS

REF: A. STATE 159971


B. THE HAGUE 1880

Classified By: USEU POLOFF LEE LITZENBERGER; REASONS 1.4 (B,D)


1. (C) Summary. The EU is looking seriously at steps it
can take to ban Belarusian Sports Minister Sivakov from the
Olympic games. Greece supports a ban, but wants to approach
the International Olympic Committee first, as visas are
issued along with IOC credentials, and Sivakov is likely to
appeal to the IOC should his visa be denied. The EU also
plans to approach the GOB in Minsk to dissuade Sivakov from
traveling to Athens. Finally, assuming the IOC will go along
with a ban, the EU could take action as early as August 3,
based on Minsk's failure to investigate several politically
motivated disappearances reported in the "Pourgerides Report"
in May. At the time the report was released, the EU said it
might consider further actions if the GOB did not
investigate; the report cited Sivakov and two other GOB
ministers as being implicated. The EU ban would be on all
three ministers. End Summary.


2. (C) Despite earlier indications that the EU would not
move to bar Belarusian Sports and Tourism Minister Sivakov
from the summer Olympics, the EU is now seriously considering
taking action. According to the Council's acting Belarus
desk officer, Carl Hallergard, the EU's Political and
Security Committee (PSC) held a lengthy discussion of the
issue on July 29.

Greece supports a ban; but notes IOC wrinkle
--------------

3. (C) Greece supports a ban, but noted that visas for
ministers are issued as part of the accreditation they
receive from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Belarus would likely appeal any action by Greece to cancel or
deny a visa directly to the IOC. Therefore, Greece plans to
approach the IOC in coming days to see if the IOC would
support a visa denial for Sivakov. Greece hopes to have a
response by the time of the PSC's next meeting on August 3.
Other EU member states are free also to approach the IOC on
this issue over the next few days. (Comment. Presumably, the
US and other non-EU states could do likewise; doing so would
add weight to the argument for a ban. End Comment.)

Moral dissuasion
--------------

4. (C) The EU also plans to approach the GOB informally in
an attempt to dissuade Sivakov from attending the Olympics,
regardless of whether the EU succeeds in denying him a visa.
(Comment. Here again, the US could consider making a
parallel approach in Minsk, coordinated with EU missions
there. End Comment.)

Some Members oppose a ban, but EU may have found a way...
--------------

5. (C) Hallergard said that while some member states oppose
a specific ban preventing Sivakov from traveling to the
Olympics, arguing that this is an issue for Greece to decide,
PSC Ambassadors have found an alternative means to achieve
the same goal. On May 14, the EU issued a statement on the
so-called "Pourgerides Report" on disappearances in Belarus.
The statement cited three Belarusian ministers -- including
Sivakov -- as being implicated, and included a warning that
the EU would consider further action if the GOB did not
investigate the disappearances. The GOB has done nothing,
and now PSC Ambassadors may be prepared to institute a ban on
the three ministers cited in the report; this would prevent
Sivakov from traveling to Athens.

If all else fails, Sivakov won't be allowed to mingle
--------------

6. (C) Greece also informed the PSC that, even if Sivakov
is able to travel to Athens, the GOG has decided not to
invite him to the two ceremonial events where he would have
an opportunity to mingle with other dignitaries: at the VIP
Tribunal for the opening ceremonies; and at the reception
following the opening that will be hosted by the Greek
President.

Timeline
--------------

7. (C) The EU could act as quickly as next week; but much
depends on the position of the IOC. If the IOC will not
dispute with Greece a visa denial, prospects are good that
the PSC will impose a ban next week on Sivakov and the two
other ministers named in the Pourgerides report.

SAMMIS