Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MINSK574
2006-06-02 06:08:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - May 26, 2006
how-toVZCZCXRO5545 RR RUEHAST DE RUEHSK #0574/01 1530608 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 020608Z JUN 06 FM AMEMBASSY MINSK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4487 INFO RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MINSK 000574
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - May 26, 2006
Ref: Minsk 459
MINSK 00000574 001.2 OF 003
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MINSK 000574
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - May 26, 2006
Ref: Minsk 459
MINSK 00000574 001.2 OF 003
1. The following are brief items of interest compiled by
Embassy Minsk.
--------------
International Relations
--------------
2. Iran To Aid Belarus' Nuclear Industry, Lukashenko To Visit Iran
On May 25, Iranian Ambassador Abdolhamid Fekri said at a news
conference in Minsk that Iran might assist Belarus in building a
nuclear power plant. Fekri said that assistance would comply with
the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. He described Iran's nuclear
research programs as peaceful and designed to foster economic and
scientific development. Fekri also announced that Belarusian
President Lukashenko will visit Iran and meet with President Mahmud
Ahmadinejad. The ambassador said that trade and economic relations
would be discussed during the visit and that the Iranian president
would pay a return visit to Belarus if he received an invitation.
Fekri noted that Belarus and Iran have similar positions on many
international issues and both oppose a unipolar world.
3. Moldovan, Georgian Wines To Stay on Shelves
On May 19, Mikhail Rimzha, Belarus' chief sanitary expert, told
reporters that Georgian and Moldovan wines would not be banned in
Belarus. Russia recently alleged that the wines contain high levels
of pesticides and suspended imports from Moldova and Georgia.
Although Belarus has no pesticide standards for wine Rimzha said
that Belarusian experts tested 3,000 samples of Georgian and
Moldovan wines and found between 10 and 100 times less pesticide
than the maximum allowable level for juices. Rimzha also ordered
testing of Georgia's Borjomi mineral water, which Russia has
banned.
--------------
Post-Elections
--------------
4. Belarusian Popular Front Headquarters Vandalized
On May 23, vandals splashed black paint on the door of the
Belarusian Popular Front (BPF) headquarters in Minsk and painted
symbols for the Russian National Bolsheviks on the pavement in
front of its entrance. Vandals also splashed the nearby office of
the Francisak Skaryna Belarusian Language Society (BLS). Vintsuk
Vyachorka, BPF Chairman, stated, "Our headquarters is watched
around the clock and the Police Academy is in the next building,
but the vandals mysteriously managed to do their job." According to
Vyachorka the BPF does not intend to report the incident to the
police since past reports were ignored. Vyachorka remarked, "Secret
services monitor opposition Web sites, searching for tips on
planned flash mobs and other protests by democratic forces. But
they take little interest in communist fascist sites, on which
National Bolsheviks openly boast of their acts."
--------------
Human Rights
--------------
5. Justice Ministry Seeks to Suspend Helsinki Committee
On May 26, Belarus' Justice Ministry filed suit with the Supreme
Court to suspend the activities of the Belarusian Helsinki
Committee (BHC). The Justice Ministry accuses the BHC of violating
Belarusian law and its charter by sending non-members to observe
the 2004 parliamentary elections, using residential premises as its
legal address, and missing the deadline for paying taxes. BHC
Chairperson Tatyana Protko described the suit as the "first
reaction to the president's address to the nation and the
legislature about the need for dialog between civil society and the
government." Protko said that the authorities had dropped a tax
evasion case against BHC but the Justice Ministry is still using
that accusation in its suit.
--------------
Civil Society
--------------
6. Milinkevich Warned against Discrediting Belarus
On May 22, opposition leader Aleksandr Milinkevich was summoned to
the Minsk City Prosecutor's Office where he was issued a warning
regarding his March 31 interview with the Polish newspaper
Rzeczpospolita. According to the prosecutor's office, Milinkevich
accused Belarusian authorities of involvment in the death of the
Polish Vice Consul in Grodno, Ryszard Badon-Lehr. Moreover,
authorities questioned Milinkevich about an interview with BBC in
which he allegedly characterized the presidential election in March
MINSK 00000574 002 OF 003
as a coup and stated that Aleksandr Lukashenko had no right to run
for a third term. The office warned Milinkevich that he might be
subject to criminal prosecution and two years in prison for
disseminating false information that discredited Belarus.
Milinkevich maintains that he never said authorities were involved
the Polish Vice Consul's death but that they might have been
involved.
7. Deputy Chairman of Belarusian Popular Front Released from Jail
On May 19, Belarusian authorities released Viktor Ivashkevich,
Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front (BPF),from jail
following his 15-day term imposed for organizing an opposition
demonstration on the twentieth anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear
accident. The court found Ivashkevich guilty of organizing a
demonstration. Ivashkevich was the sixth opposition leader jailed
for the Chernobylski Shlyakh (Path of Chernobyl) demonstration. On
April 27, former presidential candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich, BPF
Chairman Vintsuk Vyachorka, and union leader Aleksandr Bukhvostov
were sentenced to 15 days in jail for their participation in the
demonstration. Sergei Kalyakin, leader of the Belarusian Party of
Communists, and youth opposition leader Dmitry Dashkevich received
14-day jail sentences.
8. Justice Ministry Ends Closure Suit against Writers Union
On May 22, the Belarusian Ministry of Justice withdrew its lawsuit
to close the Union of Belarusian Writers (UBW). The Ministry
charged the Union with organizing a conference of the Belarusian
Social Democratic Party "Hramada" (BSDP) at the House of Writers
cafeteria. Other charges included using the banned emblem Pahonya
in the entrance sign for the House of Writers and using for four
months a stamp featuring the Union's name without inverted commas.
Proceedings began on April 6 but were adjourned on May 5 after the
plaintiff failed to prove UBW's involvement with the conference.
Within two weeks, the UBW removed the Pahonya emblem and fulfilled
the two other demands.
9. Customs Officers Detain Viktor Karnienko
Authorities detained Viktor Karneenko, a former deputy chairman
of Aleksandr Milinkevich's campaign headquarters and a member
of the Political Council of Democratic Forces, at Minsk airport
as he was traveling to Copenhagen for a conference on Belarus.
Customs officers delayed the flight and inspected Karnienko's
bag for an hour. According to Karnienko, officials were looking
for documents but found nothing of interest.
10. Belarusian Prosecutor Says False Testimony Not Prosecutable
The prosecutor of Chyhunachny district of Gomel, G.N. Ramaniuk,
stated that in administrative cases the law "does not envisage
warning of citizens about accountability for false testimony"
and therefore witnesses cannot be charged. Ramananiuk was
answering an appeal by Vladimir Katsora, the head of
presidential candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich's campaign
headquarters. Katsora asked the prosecutor's office to
prosecute the deputy head of the police department of
Chyhunachny district, S.V.Nyaznaeu, and two others for giving
false testimony. Nyaznaeu, who was in charge of Katsora's
detention, testified in the court that the activist resisted
violently during the detention. Katsora awaits another appeal
concerning his 15-day detention in connection to April's Path
of Chernobyl protest.
11. Private Newspaper Warned by Information Ministry
In a letter to the editor dated May 12, the Belarusian
Information Minister, Vladimir Rusakevich, accused the private
Novopolotsk-based newspaper "Khimik" of publishing advertisements
in several issues without verifying the advertisers' licenses in
violation of Article 30 of the Media Law. Editor Sergey Balay
described the warning as unfounded and plans to appeal to the
Supreme Economic Court of Belarus. Last month the Novopolotsk
Prosecutor's Office questioned Balay about claims from the local
government's ideology office that the bi-weekly broke the law by
changing publication periodicity, reprinting television programming
without permission, publishing an opinion poll allegedly conducted
by an unlicensed pollster and an interview with presidential
candidate Aleksandr Kozulin.
--------------
Economy
--------------
12. Finished Product Inventories Up 31% from January through April
On May 21, Belarus' Ministry of Statistics and Analysis reported
that industrial enterprises' finished product inventories increased
by 31.3% in the first four months of 2006. As of April 1,
inventories accounted for 58.3 percent of average monthly
MINSK 00000574 003 OF 003
production. The largest proportion of unsold goods was in the
textile, clothing, metalworking, machinery, and building-materials
industries.
--------------
Quote of the Week
--------------
13. During his annual address to parliament, Aleksandr Lukashenko
offered this insight regarding democracy and civic responsibility:
"The government will continue creating the most favorable
conditions to enable our citizens to realize their ambitions and
actively engage in state affairs. But it's well known that it is
impossible to live in society and be free from it. This means that
one should know not only how to govern but also how to obey."
KROL
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - May 26, 2006
Ref: Minsk 459
MINSK 00000574 001.2 OF 003
1. The following are brief items of interest compiled by
Embassy Minsk.
--------------
International Relations
--------------
2. Iran To Aid Belarus' Nuclear Industry, Lukashenko To Visit Iran
On May 25, Iranian Ambassador Abdolhamid Fekri said at a news
conference in Minsk that Iran might assist Belarus in building a
nuclear power plant. Fekri said that assistance would comply with
the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. He described Iran's nuclear
research programs as peaceful and designed to foster economic and
scientific development. Fekri also announced that Belarusian
President Lukashenko will visit Iran and meet with President Mahmud
Ahmadinejad. The ambassador said that trade and economic relations
would be discussed during the visit and that the Iranian president
would pay a return visit to Belarus if he received an invitation.
Fekri noted that Belarus and Iran have similar positions on many
international issues and both oppose a unipolar world.
3. Moldovan, Georgian Wines To Stay on Shelves
On May 19, Mikhail Rimzha, Belarus' chief sanitary expert, told
reporters that Georgian and Moldovan wines would not be banned in
Belarus. Russia recently alleged that the wines contain high levels
of pesticides and suspended imports from Moldova and Georgia.
Although Belarus has no pesticide standards for wine Rimzha said
that Belarusian experts tested 3,000 samples of Georgian and
Moldovan wines and found between 10 and 100 times less pesticide
than the maximum allowable level for juices. Rimzha also ordered
testing of Georgia's Borjomi mineral water, which Russia has
banned.
--------------
Post-Elections
--------------
4. Belarusian Popular Front Headquarters Vandalized
On May 23, vandals splashed black paint on the door of the
Belarusian Popular Front (BPF) headquarters in Minsk and painted
symbols for the Russian National Bolsheviks on the pavement in
front of its entrance. Vandals also splashed the nearby office of
the Francisak Skaryna Belarusian Language Society (BLS). Vintsuk
Vyachorka, BPF Chairman, stated, "Our headquarters is watched
around the clock and the Police Academy is in the next building,
but the vandals mysteriously managed to do their job." According to
Vyachorka the BPF does not intend to report the incident to the
police since past reports were ignored. Vyachorka remarked, "Secret
services monitor opposition Web sites, searching for tips on
planned flash mobs and other protests by democratic forces. But
they take little interest in communist fascist sites, on which
National Bolsheviks openly boast of their acts."
--------------
Human Rights
--------------
5. Justice Ministry Seeks to Suspend Helsinki Committee
On May 26, Belarus' Justice Ministry filed suit with the Supreme
Court to suspend the activities of the Belarusian Helsinki
Committee (BHC). The Justice Ministry accuses the BHC of violating
Belarusian law and its charter by sending non-members to observe
the 2004 parliamentary elections, using residential premises as its
legal address, and missing the deadline for paying taxes. BHC
Chairperson Tatyana Protko described the suit as the "first
reaction to the president's address to the nation and the
legislature about the need for dialog between civil society and the
government." Protko said that the authorities had dropped a tax
evasion case against BHC but the Justice Ministry is still using
that accusation in its suit.
--------------
Civil Society
--------------
6. Milinkevich Warned against Discrediting Belarus
On May 22, opposition leader Aleksandr Milinkevich was summoned to
the Minsk City Prosecutor's Office where he was issued a warning
regarding his March 31 interview with the Polish newspaper
Rzeczpospolita. According to the prosecutor's office, Milinkevich
accused Belarusian authorities of involvment in the death of the
Polish Vice Consul in Grodno, Ryszard Badon-Lehr. Moreover,
authorities questioned Milinkevich about an interview with BBC in
which he allegedly characterized the presidential election in March
MINSK 00000574 002 OF 003
as a coup and stated that Aleksandr Lukashenko had no right to run
for a third term. The office warned Milinkevich that he might be
subject to criminal prosecution and two years in prison for
disseminating false information that discredited Belarus.
Milinkevich maintains that he never said authorities were involved
the Polish Vice Consul's death but that they might have been
involved.
7. Deputy Chairman of Belarusian Popular Front Released from Jail
On May 19, Belarusian authorities released Viktor Ivashkevich,
Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front (BPF),from jail
following his 15-day term imposed for organizing an opposition
demonstration on the twentieth anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear
accident. The court found Ivashkevich guilty of organizing a
demonstration. Ivashkevich was the sixth opposition leader jailed
for the Chernobylski Shlyakh (Path of Chernobyl) demonstration. On
April 27, former presidential candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich, BPF
Chairman Vintsuk Vyachorka, and union leader Aleksandr Bukhvostov
were sentenced to 15 days in jail for their participation in the
demonstration. Sergei Kalyakin, leader of the Belarusian Party of
Communists, and youth opposition leader Dmitry Dashkevich received
14-day jail sentences.
8. Justice Ministry Ends Closure Suit against Writers Union
On May 22, the Belarusian Ministry of Justice withdrew its lawsuit
to close the Union of Belarusian Writers (UBW). The Ministry
charged the Union with organizing a conference of the Belarusian
Social Democratic Party "Hramada" (BSDP) at the House of Writers
cafeteria. Other charges included using the banned emblem Pahonya
in the entrance sign for the House of Writers and using for four
months a stamp featuring the Union's name without inverted commas.
Proceedings began on April 6 but were adjourned on May 5 after the
plaintiff failed to prove UBW's involvement with the conference.
Within two weeks, the UBW removed the Pahonya emblem and fulfilled
the two other demands.
9. Customs Officers Detain Viktor Karnienko
Authorities detained Viktor Karneenko, a former deputy chairman
of Aleksandr Milinkevich's campaign headquarters and a member
of the Political Council of Democratic Forces, at Minsk airport
as he was traveling to Copenhagen for a conference on Belarus.
Customs officers delayed the flight and inspected Karnienko's
bag for an hour. According to Karnienko, officials were looking
for documents but found nothing of interest.
10. Belarusian Prosecutor Says False Testimony Not Prosecutable
The prosecutor of Chyhunachny district of Gomel, G.N. Ramaniuk,
stated that in administrative cases the law "does not envisage
warning of citizens about accountability for false testimony"
and therefore witnesses cannot be charged. Ramananiuk was
answering an appeal by Vladimir Katsora, the head of
presidential candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich's campaign
headquarters. Katsora asked the prosecutor's office to
prosecute the deputy head of the police department of
Chyhunachny district, S.V.Nyaznaeu, and two others for giving
false testimony. Nyaznaeu, who was in charge of Katsora's
detention, testified in the court that the activist resisted
violently during the detention. Katsora awaits another appeal
concerning his 15-day detention in connection to April's Path
of Chernobyl protest.
11. Private Newspaper Warned by Information Ministry
In a letter to the editor dated May 12, the Belarusian
Information Minister, Vladimir Rusakevich, accused the private
Novopolotsk-based newspaper "Khimik" of publishing advertisements
in several issues without verifying the advertisers' licenses in
violation of Article 30 of the Media Law. Editor Sergey Balay
described the warning as unfounded and plans to appeal to the
Supreme Economic Court of Belarus. Last month the Novopolotsk
Prosecutor's Office questioned Balay about claims from the local
government's ideology office that the bi-weekly broke the law by
changing publication periodicity, reprinting television programming
without permission, publishing an opinion poll allegedly conducted
by an unlicensed pollster and an interview with presidential
candidate Aleksandr Kozulin.
--------------
Economy
--------------
12. Finished Product Inventories Up 31% from January through April
On May 21, Belarus' Ministry of Statistics and Analysis reported
that industrial enterprises' finished product inventories increased
by 31.3% in the first four months of 2006. As of April 1,
inventories accounted for 58.3 percent of average monthly
MINSK 00000574 003 OF 003
production. The largest proportion of unsold goods was in the
textile, clothing, metalworking, machinery, and building-materials
industries.
--------------
Quote of the Week
--------------
13. During his annual address to parliament, Aleksandr Lukashenko
offered this insight regarding democracy and civic responsibility:
"The government will continue creating the most favorable
conditions to enable our citizens to realize their ambitions and
actively engage in state affairs. But it's well known that it is
impossible to live in society and be free from it. This means that
one should know not only how to govern but also how to obey."
KROL