Press Accuses Marines of Smuggling, Romance

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 001023

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FRANKFURT FOR DOD/COA WINTERSTEIN AND GRASS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/15
TAGS: PGOV PREL BO
SUBJECT: Press Accuses Marines of Smuggling, Romance

Classified by Charge Constance Phlipot for Reasons 1.4
(B,D)


1. (C) Summary: The independent, but pro-Lukashenko, weekly
newspaper Obozrevatel ("Observer") ran a story August 26
accusing Embassy Minsk's Marine Security Guards and other
Emboffs of smuggling campaign literature into Belarus for
the opposition in 2001. The paper admits this article is
in response to Ambassador's interview to the paper a week
earlier. Belarusian state television followed with anti-
U.S. and anti-West attacks based on the article on August
26 and 28. While two U.S. Embassy POV's successfully
crossed the Lithuanian border August 27, a British Embassy
vehicle was stopped and nearly searched, possibly as a
result of this article. Post expects such media attacks to
increase as the 2006 presidential elections draw near. End
summary.


Love and Revolution, Marine Style
--------------


2. (C) Ambassador gave an interview to Obozrevatel that was
published very nearly verbatim August 19. In the forward
to an August 26 article, the paper claimed a young
Belarusian woman, "Anastasia," saw the interview and told
the paper she had dated a Marine Security Guard (MSG) in

2001. The newspaper published her interview August 26,
entitled, "Leisure Embassy Style: A Touch of Love and
Revolution." For most of the article, she described her
relationship with Joseph Martin, who the paper describes as
head of the MSG detachment. [Note: Martin was a MSG
corporal who served at Embassy Minsk in 2000 to 2001. He
was not the Detachment Commander.]


3. (SBU) Towards the end of the article "Anastasia"
described how Martin promised her Belarus would soon have a
democratic revolution. She then claims to have often
overheard Emboffs discuss frequent shopping trips for food
to Vilnius. She added, "So, I hear, they simultaneously
brought leaflets and other printed material for the
opposition in Belarus. It's not difficult at all. Their
white Chevy Blazer has diplomatic plates. These cars don't
get examined at customs." The article is accompanied by
photos of "Anastasia" and a friend with Martin, of a young
woman in lingerie and sun glasses standing in front of an
American flag, of the MSG's previous residence, of USAID's
white Chevrolet Suburban (which the paper says is the
Marine vehicle),and two of "Anastasia" dancing with former
Ambassador Kozak.


4. (SBU) Obozrevatel concluded the article with a
speculative editorial comment. The paper asks why the
Belarusian BKGB did not control "Anastasia's" relationship
with Martin; wonders about the "coincidence" that Martin
was in Belarus October 2000 to October 2001, during
Lukashenko's presidential campaign; asks what would happen
if U.S. Marines start smuggling money into the country, in
violation of Belarusian law, and suggested asking the U.S.
Embassy about such activities; and questions, "how are
millions of dollars mentioned by George Krol in the
interview in the newspaper's last issue to be brought to
Belarus?" It concludes by describing the paper's
unsuccessful attempts to contact Ambassador Kozak for
comment.


GOB Responds Over the Top
--------------


5. (SBU) On August 26, the day the article was released,
three Members of Belarus' Parliament accused the USG of
illegally supporting Belarus' opposition [the three were
Nikolay Cherginets, Sergey Kastyan, and Sergey Gaidukevich,
three of the more outspoken MPs]. The MFA's spokesman
officially stated the GOB is investigating the allegations
raised in the article.


6. (SBU) The evening news on Belarusian state television
August 26 and 28 covered the Obozrevatel article and its
allegations against the U.S. Embassy. The August 28
broadcast included interviews with Colonel Yury Shcharbakov
of the State Border Guard Committee, who announced that the
number of diplomatic vehicles crossing Belarus' borders
goes up during political campaigns, and with Alexey

MINSK 00001023 002 OF 002


Zakharov, deputy chief of counterintelligence for the BKGB,
who said Belarusian girls can have relations with foreign
diplomats, but the BKGB would not tolerate diplomats
breaking the law. The commentator cited documents found on
the laptop of Slovak Pontis activist Balasz Jarabik, seized
while he crossed the Belarusian border in January, that
allegedly show how the USG and U.S. NGOs aid the
opposition.


7. (SBU) The commentator also raises: the deportation of a
U.S. diplomat, Serge Aleksandrov, for his work with the
opposition; the deportation of a German diplomat for
allegedly using cocaine with his homosexual lover; the
deportation of a Czech diplomat for allegedly having
homosexual contact with minors; and a former U.S. Embassy
assistant Defense Attache, Bruno Sanchez, who allegedly had
sex with underage Belarusian prostitutes. [Note: these
other allegations are all standard fare Belarusian state TV
dredges up from time to time to smear the West and Western
diplomats in general. These film clips of Sanchez and the
German diplomat were also featured in a Panaroma show last
autumn about the West's export of democracy.]


UK Diplomatic Vehicle Stopped
--------------


8. (C) The United Kingdom's Charge told Poloff that a UK
Embassy vehicle was stopped as it tried to cross the border
from Belarus into Lithuania at 2200 August 27. Four border
guards and a supposed BKGB officer demanded to search the
vehicle. The driver called the UK Admin Officer, who
refused to allow any search. After nearly an hour of
waiting, the border guards apologized, but stated they
wanted to search the vehicle "because there has been an
incident." [Note: two U.S. Embassy POV's crossed into
Lithuania and returned August 27 with no problem.]


Who is "Anastasia"?
--------------


9. (C) According to Post Consular records, "Anastasia" is
really Tatiana Karavaeva, born 13 August 1982. She was
denied a visa in May 2001 after Post received information
she had worked as a stripper and/or prostitute in Moscow.
This was overcome for lack of evidence and she was issued a
J-1 in June 2001 to work as a lifeguard, and a B1/B2 in
December 2001 to visit Martin in California.


10. (C) Comment: The spontaneity of "Anastasia's" offer to
provide information to the press after reading the
Ambassador's interview is belied by the ready photos of the
Marine vehicles, quick reaction by the MFA and
parliamentarians, and immediate replay on state TV.
Clearly it is part of the orchestrated smear campaign
against the West. While an ostensibly independent
newspaper, Obozrevatel has always been pro-Lukashenko and
pro-GOB. Post expects the frequency and severity of such
slanderous reporting to increase as the 2006 presidential
elections draw closer. Furthermore, if the MFA spokesman's
statement is any guide, we can expect the authorities to
use such provocations as a pretext to take active measures
against us. Post has no plans to dignify these allegations
with a direct response, but will raise the issue with the
MFA and continue our efforts to get our message to as many
of the Belarusian people as possible.


PHLIPOT