Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BRATISLAVA981
2006-12-22 11:15:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Bratislava
Cable title:  

GOS FOLLOWS UP ON MILINKEVICH COMMENTS

Tags:  PGOV PREL KDEM BO LO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO2575
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSL #0981 3561115
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221115Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0561
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000981 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM BO LO
SUBJECT: GOS FOLLOWS UP ON MILINKEVICH COMMENTS

REF: A. BRATISLAVA 961

B. BRATISLAVA 966

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000981

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM BO LO
SUBJECT: GOS FOLLOWS UP ON MILINKEVICH COMMENTS

REF: A. BRATISLAVA 961

B. BRATISLAVA 966


1. (U) The GOS is beginning to carry out the commitments made
to Belarussian opposition leader Alexander Milinkevich during
his December 9 visit. On December 14, the Slovak Parliament
approved a resolution that condemned the Lukashenko
government for repressing political dissent, and called for
the release of Aleander Kozulin and all other political
prisoners. The resolution was introduced by Foreign Affairs
Committee Chairman Boris Zala (Smer) and Human Rights
Committee Chairman Laszlo Nagy (SMK),as they promised in
their meeting with Milinkevich. Parliament approved the
resolution unanimously, with two SNS members abstaining by
voting 'present'. (Note: Parliament later that day approved
a resolution condemning the holocaust conference in Tehran.
The vote was unanimous with no abstentions. End Note.)


2. (SBU) Also, in response to the December 9 meeting between
Milinkevich and Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Kubis, the
MFA has taken first steps toward developing stronger programs
to build civil society in Belarus. Upon arriving in
Brussels, Kubis convened a December 11 meeting with
representatives of V-4 countries and the Baltic states to
discuss future cooperation on Belarus. Early reports
suggested that these seven countries wanted to propose to the
European Union creation of a fund to strengthen civil society
in Belarus (reftel A),but conversations with the MFA's
Belarus/CIS desk officers indicate that these reports may be
premature. In January the MFA will meet to decide how it can
strengthen support to Belarus using its tools at hand, such
as increasing SlovakAid discretional funding for activities
in the country or redirecting Visegrad Fund resources toward
Belarus. In any case, MFA has indicated that they wish to
increase emphasis on independent media promotion and student
exchanges within the region.
VALLEE