Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MINSK784
2006-07-27 08:50:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:  

BELARUSIAN SECURITY FORCES SEARCH APARTMENT OF

Tags:  PGOV PREF BO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSK #0784 2080850
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 270850Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY MINSK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4783
INFO RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KIEV PRIORITY 3375
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 3525
RUEHRA/AMEMBASSY RIGA PRIORITY 1739
RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS PRIORITY 3751
RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW PRIORITY 3391
RUEHBS/USMISSION USEU PRIORITY 0119
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L MINSK 000784 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREF BO
SUBJECT: BELARUSIAN SECURITY FORCES SEARCH APARTMENT OF
LATVIAN DIPLOMAT


Classified By: Charge d'Affairs Constance Phlipot for Reasons 1.4 B and
D

C O N F I D E N T I A L MINSK 000784

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREF BO
SUBJECT: BELARUSIAN SECURITY FORCES SEARCH APARTMENT OF
LATVIAN DIPLOMAT


Classified By: Charge d'Affairs Constance Phlipot for Reasons 1.4 B and
D


1. (C) The Latvian Embassy on July 25 released a press
statement protesting the July 25 search of a Latvian
diplomat's residence by Belarusian security forces. On July
26, Latvian DCM Juris Poikans confirmed with Pol/Econ Chief
that at 3am on July 25 three "unidentified Belarusians in
plain clothes," a uniformed police officer, and a cameraman
entered the apartment of the Latvian Embassy's press
relations officer when he was in the process of locking the
door of the apartment from inside. (Note: Poikans noted that
the diplomat, who was ready to go to bed, was having trouble
with one of the locks of his front door and when he unlocked
both locks to determine the problem, the law enforcement
authorities pushed open the door and entered the apartment.)


2. (C) Once in the apartment, the cameramen began to film
the diplomat and his belongings but left the apartment upon
the insistence of the diplomat. Poikans explained the
security forces immediately began to search the apartment for
videotapes, which the diplomat claimed contained only footage
of Belarusian state media programs. Poikans said he could
not fully vouch for the content of the videotapes, but he
speculated that the security forces could have easily entered
the diplomat's house earlier and planted embarrassing
videotapes. The security forces asked the diplomat if there
were other tapes in the apartment, and when the diplomat
refused to answer, the uniformed policeman prepared a formal
protocol of the search and everyone left the apartment with
the videotapes in hand. The search and confiscation lasted
15 minutes.


3. (C) Poikans noted his government is "completely vexed and
confused" about the motivations for such a blatant violation
of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The
Latvian Embassy has lodged a formal complaint with the
Belarusian MFA, and the Latvian MFA in Riga has called in the
Belarusian Charge d'affairs to stress that the "development
of bilateral relations depends on the GOB's handling of this
situation." The Belarusian MFA and Ministry of Interior have
acknowledged the incident and indicated they are looking into
the matter.


4. (C) Poikans speculated that perhaps someone in the GOB
wanted to prevent Belarus, Lithuania, and Latvia from holding
a possible "high-level" trilateral meeting in September to
celebrate the formal demarcation of the Belarus-Latvian
border. The Latvian DCM explained there was some talk in the
three respective capitals that the completion of border
demarcation negotiations merited a meeting at the prime
minister level, but the illegal search and seizure has likely
forced the Latvians to cancel such a meeting. Poikans
stressed, however, that he does not understand why the GOB
would commit such an egregious act.
Phlipot