LUKASHENKO, PALE AND BOMBASTIC, SLAMS U.S. AT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 000382 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR BO SUBJECT: LUKASHENKO, PALE AND BOMBASTIC, SLAMS U.S. AT VICTORY DAY CELEBRATIONS REF: MINSK 352 Classified By: Charge Jonathan Moore for reason 1.4 (d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) President Lukashenko on May 9 delivered a war-like Victory Day speech to WWII veterans and the diplomatic corps at Victory Square in Minsk. After leading a short march of WWII veterans and laying a wreath at the eternal flame, Lukashenko praised the heroism and sacrifice of the Belarusian and Soviet people in defeating Fascism. However, he used much of his speech to criticize all enemies of the Slavic people, particularly those nations (the U.S. and EU) "threatening" Belarus with military bases and "destructive" pro-democracy color revolutions. Playing on the "our victory only" mentalities of his largest support base -- veterans and senior citizens -- Lukashenko's speech did little to assure us that the GOB is seeking to improve relations with the West. End summary. Lukashenko Leads Veterans to Victory Square -------------- ¶2. (SBU) As in previous years, President Aleksandr Lukashenko on May 9 led a procession of approximately 6,000 WWII veterans from October Square to Victory Square to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of the Soviet Union's (and in Lukashenko's opinion, only the Soviet Union's) victory over fascism. Lukashenko's two sons Viktor and Dmitry, his granddaughter, Prime Minister Sergey Sidorskiy, Defense Minister Sergey Maltsev, Belarusian KGB head Stepan Sukharenko, and several other cabinet heads followed behind the president, who marched in front of the veterans, not side-by-side. ¶3. (U) After a brief wreath-laying ceremony at the Victory Square obelisk, which Charge and other heads of mission attended, Lukashenko gave a 20-minute speech in which he called the holiday a symbol of the immortal sacrifice soldiers gave for freedom and independence. Lukashenko noted the "cruel barbarism" that fascist armies inflicted on the Belarusian people, and how every Belarusian man, woman and child took up arms against the invaders, again reminding his crowd that one-third of Belarus' population died during WWII. "Democracy and Human Rights a Mask for Western Aggression" -------------- -------------- ¶4. (U) Lukashenko then switched from lauding the Red Army's victory to lambasting all perceived enemies. Lukashenko condemned countries (insinuating the U.S.) that use "warfare as a tool of foreign policy" for world domination. According to Lukashenko, such countries advance their geopolitical and "predatory" economic interests with force to oppress nations who had chosen their own independent path of development. The president accused Belarus' adversaries of "masking their aggression" with deceitful words such as democracy, human rights, and freedom and, acting as peacekeepers, leaving "gapping wounds" in various regions of the planet, such as in the former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. ¶5. (U) The president stressed that the Belarusian people favored peace and stability and no one would force Belarus to leave its "chosen" path. He accused the "so-called partisans of democracy" of using internal destructive forces to stage a colored revolution within "our quiet Belarus," but the Belarusian people rejected such "subversive tactics." Belarus Military Prepared to Counter Threats -------------- ¶6. (U) Expressing "concern" for what he called a new twist in the arms race, Lukashenko declared NATO's military-political expansion, particularly the creation of military bases close to the borders of "peace-loving" nations, a violation of international agreements. The president assured his audience that the GOB was taking all necessary measures to defend Belarus' independence and protect the border of the Russian-Belarusian Union State. Belarus' armed forces, together with those of "brotherly Russia," were ready to respond to any threats of the 21 century. According to Lukashenko, Belarus was an important factor in ensuring international security and its foreign policy had become a MINSK 00000382 002 OF 002 strong, influential voice in international organizations such as the U.N. Estonians Rewriting History "In Vain" -------------- ¶7. (U) The president stated that the Belarusian people's duty was to preserve the memory of those who sacrificed themselves for the Fatherland's freedom and not allow the rewriting or mocking of the Soviet people's heroic history. Such acts as the "dismantling" of a memorial to Soviet "liberators" in Estonia or closing a Soviet exposition at the Auschwitz museum in Poland only angered Belarusians. Lukashenko said attempts to falsify history were done "in vain," because witnesses were still alive and continued to honor and love their Motherland. A Peaked-Looking Lukashenko -------------- ¶8. (C) The diplomatic corps stood facing Lukashenko during his war-like speech against all those not Soviet. Lukashenko looked pale and graying throughout the ceremony; he glanced furtively while delegations placed wreaths at the Victory monument and did not engage anyone -- including his cabinet -- in small talk. Lukashenko's handshake and voice were firm, but he repeatedly mopped sweat from his brow despite the cool morning temperature (mid-50s Fahrenheit). Moore