Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MINSK314
2006-03-23 07:04:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:  

LUKASHENKO GIVES VICTORY SPEECH AND FIERY PRESS

Tags:  PGOV PHUM PREL 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO8852
OO RUEHCD RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHSR
DE RUEHSK #0314/01 0820704
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 230704Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY MINSK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4065
INFO RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 MINSK 000314 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: LUKASHENKO GIVES VICTORY SPEECH AND FIERY PRESS
CONFERENCE

REF: MINSK 297

Classified By: Ambassador George Krol for Reasons 1.4 (B,D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 MINSK 000314

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: LUKASHENKO GIVES VICTORY SPEECH AND FIERY PRESS
CONFERENCE

REF: MINSK 297

Classified By: Ambassador George Krol for Reasons 1.4 (B,D)


1. (SBU) Summary: On March 20, a defiant Aleksandr Lukashenko
accepted his presidential &victory8 at a press conference
held in the cavernous Palace of the Republic and spoke to a
full audience, including practically the entire Belarusian
government, on live television. Lukashenko stressed
Belarusians had made &a just decision8 and challenged
foreign nations to recognize and accept that fact. He
claimed the elections were democratic and stoutly refuted
international criticisms, using the moment to lambaste the
U.S., West, and opposition while promoting his plans for the
future. In a rare occasion, Lukashenko took questions from
Western and non-state owned press correspondents on live
television. The often hardball questions only aggravated
more bizarre answers from a clearly disturbed Lukashenko.
End Summary.

--------------
Lukashenko's Opening Remarks
--------------

Belarusians Made Their Choice, Other Countries Should Tend to
Their Own Problems
-------------- --------------


2. (U) In his March 20 speech at the Palace of the Republic,
President Lukashenko announced that the "revolution" that
many had prepared for had failed. According to the
President, Belarusians had made a wise decision. However,
those (opposition leaders) who tried to go behind the backs
of the people to get power "from the hands of foreign
sponsors" are unable to accept this.


3. (U) Lukashenko said Belarusians respected Americans and
citizens of Europe, but that did not mean Belarusians would
"alter" themselves to fit Washington's, Brussels', and
Warsaw's standards. Belarusians do not need to be told how
to live and would not become "servants" to stronger nations.
The President opined that countries of the "so-called" color
revolutions should first bring order to their own people and
rid themselves of poverty and crime. He called color
revolutions a "virus" that infects weak countries that have
turned a deaf ear to the people and allowed corruption to
flourish. Belarus, however, has a strong social policy and a

dynamic economy that is developing "for the people" and not
for oligarchs.

Elections Were Democratic
--------------


4. (U) The President asserted that the March 19 presidential
elections were democratic and conducted in strict accordance
with Belarus' constitution. Belarusians independently made
their decision and showed the world that they are the
"masters" of their home. Lukashenko called the elections an
indisputable victory for the people's spirit, satisfaction,
and self-esteem, despite foreign and domestic interference
that tried to "break" the Belarusians.


5. (U) Lukashenko stressed that foreign countries needed to
respect Belarusians' decision as the will of the people and a
clear indicator of democracy. According to Lukashenko, the
high turnout at the polls showed that Belarusians feel a
"deep and personal" responsibility for their government's
fate and the welfare of their people. The President
lambasted the West for its criticisms of early voting,
claiming that the practice existed in "super democracies"
such as the U.S. and Germany. The GOB ensured the necessary
conditions for a fair democratic vote and allowed 1,200
international and 30,000 domestic observers and 1,000
journalists to monitor.

Opposition Does Not Respect Its People
--------------


6. (U) Lukashenko declared that Belarus had never seen such
unprecedented pressure and anti-Belarusian behavior as the
opposition had presented. The President viewed it as the
opposition's high level of disrespect to its own people and
failure to recognize their right to an independent election.
However, the opposition's actions with the help of foreign
pressure resulted in almost all Belarusians supporting the
regime in the "moment of truth."

The President's New Mission
--------------


MINSK 00000314 002 OF 004



7. (U) Lukashenko said the election results showed
Belarusians' support for his approach to building a strong,
developing country. He said his next mission was his
five-year plan that would build a government for the people.
The President stated that Belarus is not as rich as the
people would like, but it was just a question of time and
labor before Belarusians would attain or even exceed Western
European standards of living.


8. (U) Belarus will continue its peaceful policies and
strengthen relations with its neighbors. He noted a union
with Russia is of high strategically importance to Belarus,
but stressed dialogue with the U.S. and EU was also
important.

--------------
Journalists Toss Lukashenko Tough Questions
--------------


9. (U) In a rare event, Belarusian TV provided continuous
live coverage of Lukashenko's press conference with western
and independent journalists, as well as with state
journalists. The western and independent journalists posed
many tough, if not embarrassing questions to the President.
However, the audience was overwhelmingly comprised of GOB
officials, state journalists, and pro-Lukashenko election
monitors. All of Lukashenko,s answers were greeted with
broad applause.

On Demonstrators
--------------


10. (U) Q (Liberacion): You (Lukashenko) said on March 17
that you would wring the necks of opponents who would go to
the streets. What happened to them and can you give them
security guarantees?

A: To wring the necks? I see your neck is all right, just as
everyone else's. (Laughter from audience) So do not be
concerned.

Q (RIA Novisti): If you were sure of your victory and are
confident it was democratic, why was it necessary to deport
foreign observers and detain representatives of the
opposition?

A: I do not know who was arrested or detained. The law is
the law for everyone, and if someone violated the law, then
they will be prosecuted. I know that a few people were
detained, but they asked for it to save their face after
realizing nothing would come of their actions.

Q (BBC News): If so many people voted for you, why do you
think thousands of people came to the streets to protest your
victory?

A: This proves the democratic nature of our society. We have
people who do not agree with the president's policy(Did you
see the people who came to the square yesterday? Could you
distinguish between the participants and bystanders? (The
demonstrators) are 14 and 15-year-olds who were paid BYR
20,000 (USD 10) to participate. They then blamed the
authorities for the weather. You can see that God was with
the Belarusian people yesterday. A terrible snow blizzard
was observed only on that square.

On the Elections
--------------


11. (U) Q (Associated Press): What is your reaction to
opposition leaders' demands to hold a repeat election?

A: If they want to have a repeat vote, let them go and vote.
There will be no reaction from my part. I only react to the
results and the reaction voiced by the Central Election
Commission.

Q (GOB's telegraph news Belta): It is evident the West and
U.S. will not recognize the election. There are lots of
example of what happened to countries that attempted to
oppose the White House. Do you think Belarus faces a threat
of international isolation?

A: Judging by the words of U.S. politicians and others that
you mentioned, we have lived in international isolation for a
long time already(I wish we could continue our development
at the same pace in this isolation. If they (the U.S. and
West) respect Belarusians, as they always say, they will
change their policies. I am not afraid of any further
isolation. I do not understand how one can isolate a country

MINSK 00000314 003 OF 004


that is the heart of Europe, through which 100 million tons
of goods are shipped annually. Neither the Europeans,
Russians, nor the Kazakhs have ever experienced any problems
here(.We will preserve the country like this at any cost.
They will stage provocations every day and will (claim) to
act in accordance with the Bible. We will show the absurdity
of their policies being carried out in Poland, Latvia, and
Lithuania.

Russian Support
--------------


12. (U) Journalist (state newspaper Narodnaya Gazeta): Mr.
Lukashenko, the Russian authorities have supported your
candidacy(

Lukashenko: Did you hear this? Where did you get this fact?
I am an official, so do not use rumors in public. Excuse me
for interrupting you, but I will tell you and the West that
Putin is not backing Lukashenko. An analyst says that the
Belarusian economy is developing so successfully because we
buy Russian oil at friendly prices and sell it to the West at
international prices. I want you to know, and Euronews above
all, that we buy oil from Russia at higher than world
prices(I do not need any support from Russia, though I am
confident I would receive it if I asked.

Lukashenko Is An Emancipator
--------------


13. (U) Q (Interfax): Thanks to your election rivals, this
country has learned interesting things about your private
life and sons. Are you going to charge these individuals for
libel? And, basically, will Milinkevich and Kozulin be sent
to prison?

A: I would hate to see anyone sent to prison, but believe me,
I do not send people to prison. Under the constitution, I
release people, and as any other president I have the power
to pardon people(if they are guilty, they will be sent to
prison. As far as I am concerned, they will not be sent to
prison for personal reasons. I will oppose this and will ask
law-enforcement agencies not to touch them. Let God go with
them, as it is all coming to them(I do not think the public
has learned too many things about my private life. What they
said is horrible...they were destroying my image with the
help of spin-doctors.

Lukashenko Gets Cheeky With Ukrainian Journalist
-------------- ---


14. (U) Journalist (Antena TV, Ukraine): Several events have
happened over the last few weeks here that were viewed as
scandalous. Some of our politicians were not allowed into
Belarus and some of my colleagues were barred from entering
this conference. My colleague was arrested when reporting
live at an opposition rally(

Lukashenko: During a live broadcast?

Journalist: She was reporting by phone

Lukashenko: You need only this. This is good when you are
detained reporting live. Your television does not need better
facts.

Journalist: May I finish (the question)?

Lukashenko: As you wish. You are the master. You can finish
if you want.

Journalist: Sometimes you speak about Ukraine in a slightly
negative context(

Lukashenko: No, no, excuse me. You did not allow me to
finish. I respect my opposition because they found my
Ukrainian roots. (Passage omitted: Lukashenko recalls
working with Ukrainians on a collective farm and claims
Belarus supports Ukrainian farmers during the harvesting
campaign.) Probably, she was not arrested but detained,
because it is not so easy to arrest a person. She was
probably doing something wrong. So when in this country, you
should abide by this country's laws.

Comment
--------------


15. (C) The setting of Lukashenko's press conference showed a
leader far removed from the people. He sat at a large desk,
flanked by two large flags centered high on a large stage,

MINSK 00000314 004 OF 004


isolated from the packed auditorium. His curt answers to
Western journalists and scolding of Belarusian correspondents
only helped to show the world his bizarre behavior, yet he
still received healthy applause from his well-chosen audience
and foreign lackeys ) including American citizen Michael
Margulis, whom Lukashenko repeatedly mentioned during his
remarks as representing the real American people.


16. (C) The press conference rivaled his firebrand speech at
the UNGA. Lukashenko used this rare moment with Western
journalists to criticize the U.S. and accuse it, along with
the rest of the West, of murdering Slobodan Milosivic and
unjustly removing Saddaam Hussein. At one disturbing moment,
Lukashenko told a journalist she was jumping to conclusions
when thinking that his third term as President would be his
last. This clearly demonstrated a defiant Lukashenko intends
to stay in power indefinitely and sees no reason to change
his course.
Krol