Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05MINSK1090
2005-09-12 10:41:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:  

EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - September 7, 2005

Tags:  PGOV PHUM ECON BO 
pdf how-to read a cable
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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121041Z SEP 05
FM AMEMBASSY MINSK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2963
INFO RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 001090 

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - September 7, 2005


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 001090

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - September 7, 2005



1. The following are brief items of interest compiled
by Embassy Minsk over the past week.

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Human Rights
--------------


2. Belarusian Trafficker Extradited from Spain

On September 2, Spanish police arrested and extradited a
Belarusian woman suspected of involvement in an
international ring that trafficked Belarusian women
abroad. She purportedly recruited women to work as
prostitutes in nightclubs outside of Belarus from 1998-

2002. The woman fled from Belarus after authorities
charged her and forbade her to travel abroad.


3. Party Activist Fined for Assembly

On August 30, the Brest regional court fined Belarusian
Party of Communists activist Anatoly Novik BYR 1.02
million [USD 475] for a non-authorized assembly that the
party held on July 9 to promote delegates for the
National Congress of Democratic Forces. Even though the
assembly was held indoors at a legal address and the
police did not show up until after the event ended, the
judge still found Novik guilty.


4. BTV Accuses Statkevich of Blocking Czech Loan to
Belarus

On Septmber 2, opposition politician Nikolai Statkevich
rejected recent accusations from Belarusian Television
that he had used his contacts with the Czech Social
Democratic Party to convince them in 2000 to deny a loan
to the GOB to finance grain purchases. Statkevich said
that the allegations were a lie and that he had always
spoken out "against the economic isolation of Belarus."

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Civil Society
--------------


5. Sergei Skrebets To Run for President

On September 7 in a letter to his brother, former MP and
Respublika member Sergei Skrebets announced his
intention to run for president in 2006. Skrebets'
brother could not comment on how serious Skrebets is
about his candidacy as Skrebets is currently being held
in custody on bribery charges in a prison hospital.


6. Work Abroad Programs in Jeopardy

Out of the 40 entities that previously offered foreign
employment services, the Ministry of Interior has only
re-registered three organizations and one individual
proprietor as of September 1. These lucky four managed
to meet the requirements - including direct contracts

with foreign employers - set forth by Lukashenko's anti-
trafficking decree. Six other employment agencies await
responses from the MoI on the status of their
applications for re-registration.


7. Not Leaving on a Jet Plane

On September 6, the Ministry of Sports and Tourism the
licenses of 179 travel agencies operating in Belarus for
failure to offer sufficient inbound tourism services.
This requirement became mandatory for registration after
Lukashenko stated that foreign tourism exceeded inbound
tourism by 800% at his annual address to parliament.


8. Belarusian SWAT Team Trained to Pacify Riots

Interior Minister Vladimir Naumov stated on September 5
that Belarus' OMON (riot police) had just completed
training on effective methods for dispersing mass
demonstrations. The training drills ranged from drills
pacifying a crowd at a football match to putting down a
riot in a city.


9. Council to Coordinate Opposition Resources

On September 5, the opposition United Civic Party
proposed to form a council to manage the resources and
campaigning strategies of opposition parties during next
year's presidential election. The council's executive
committee would consist of prominent opposition figures
and potential opposition candidates including former
Agriculture Minister Vasily Leonov, ex-MP Valery Frolov,

MINSK 00001090 002 OF 002


Chairman of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade
Unions Aleksandr Yaroshuk and educator Vladimir Kolos.


10. Lukashenko Allows Opposition Congress to Meet in
Minsk

On September 9, Embassy received confirmation that
Lukashenko instructed authorities to assist the
opposition in organizing the single candidate
presidential nomination congress in Minsk. The congress
organizers had applied for permission to meet in Minsk,
but had turned to Kiev when they did not get a response
from Minsk city officials. Dismissing accusations that
the government was playing petty games, Lukashenko
stated, "I recommended that our authorities offer them
[the congress organizers] assistance in conducting this
event, so that they will not make fuss abroad in
Ukraine, or Lithuania or Poland that they are stifled
here, not allowed to hold [the congress]. Why should we
obstruct? What is the point?"

--------------
Economics
--------------


11. Belarusian-Russian Economic Forum

On September 6, Minsk hosted the first Belarusian-Russian
Economic program. Over 2,500 delegates were invited to
discuss economic aspects of cooperation and integration and
equal rights for Belarusian and Russian businesses. One
source reported that the 600 Russian businessmen who
attended already do business in Belarus, but were told by
the GOB they must attend the forum if they want to keep
doing business in Belarus.


12. No Loan from Russia to Cover Increased Gas Prices

Russia gave Belarus a USD 175 million loan to Belarus in
2004 to help cover rising natural gas costs. In 2005
Belarus asked for USD 146 million to offset the 18 percent
increase in the cost of gas related to changing the way VAT
was assessed between the two countries. However, the GOR
officially refused to grant this loan, claiming the GOB is
"capable of paying for the gas."

--------------
International Relations
--------------


13. Closer Ties Between Belarus and Iran

At a meeting between Belarusian Ambassador Leonid
Rachkov and Chairman of the Iranian National Legislature
Gholam Ali Haddad Adel on bilateral and regional
cooperation on September 1, Adel discussed prospects of
all-round cooperation between Belarus and Iran. He
stated that the two countries "adhere to similar stances
on many international problems: Tehran and Minsk are
both concerned about NATO's eastward enlargement, are
interested in the creation of a nuclear-free zone and
support efforts to combat international terrorism."


14. Cooperation with NATO Not Top Priority for Military

On September 6, Assistant Defense Minister Sergey
Bulygin stated cooperating with NATO and NATO's
Partnership for Peace Program is not a main concern for
the GOB Ministry of Defense (MoD). Instead, the MoD
will focus on its partnership with Russia, participation
in the Collective Security Treaty Organization, and
cooperation with neighboring states.

--------------
Quote of the Week
--------------


15. On September 6 at a press conference, Belarus-Russia
Union State Secretary Pavel Borodin responded to rumors
he might be the next Russian Ambassador to Minsk:

"Are you serious?! I am the number three man in the
Union State. What is so special about being an
ambassador? There are 330 ambassadors and I am over 6
foot tall."

PHLIPOT