Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MINSK577
2007-07-06 12:57:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - July 06, 2007
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 000577
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ECON EPET ENRG BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - July 06, 2007
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 000577
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ECON EPET ENRG BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - July 06, 2007
1. The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy
Minsk.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
International Relations
--------------
- Iranian Military Delegation Comes to Belarus (para. 2)
- South Korean Trade Delegation in Minsk (para. 3)
Civil Society
--------------
- Opposition Youth Activists Get Jail Sentences (para. 4)
- Religious Activists Arrested (para. 5)
- Opposition Challenges Demonstration Ban in Court (para. 6)
- Milinkevich's Campaign for EU Neighborhood Policy (para. 7)
Domestic Economy
--------------
- Belarus' Internal Debt Up 1.2 Percent (para. 8)
International Trade and Investment
--------------
- GOB Forecasts USD 870 Million Trade Deficit (para. 9)
Quote of the Week (para. 10)
--------------
International Relations
--------------
2. Iranian Military Delegation Comes to Belarus
On July 4, military officials from Iran, including Defense Minister
Mostafa Mohammad Najjar, arrived in Minsk for talks with Belarus'
Defense Ministry and to observe GOB military training.
3. South Korean Trade Delegation in Minsk
On July 4, a delegation of representatives from the Korean Trade and
Investment Promotion Agency (KTIPA) arrived in Belarus for a two-day
visit of meetings with the GOB Council of Ministers, the Ministries
of Foreign Affairs, Economics, and Industry, and the Chamber of
Commerce and Industry. The meetings focused on trade and economic
relations between South Korea and Belarus and the possibility of
opening a KTIPA office in Minsk.
--------------
Civil Society
--------------
4. Opposition Youth Activists Get Jail Sentences
On July 4, youth opposition activists Ales Kalita and Pavel
Seredenko received 15 and 10-day jail sentences respectively. A
Minsk judge found them guilty of petty hooliganism under the
Administrative Code after police officers testified the activists
illegally distributed CDs and swore at the police. Authorities
detained Kalita and Seredenko on July 3 at the opposition Belarusian
Popular Front's (BPF) headquarters when the two activists rushed out
to help their colleague Anastasiya Ozarko escape police. Ozarko
maintained that when she was leaving the office two plainclothesmen
approached her, accused her of theft, and started pulling her
towards a car. Ozarko noted that when Kalita appeared at the court
hearing he had an injured nose and sought medical assistance.
5. Religious Activists Arrested
On July 4, police arrested 14 activists at a Roman Catholic festival
in Budslaw who were circulating a petition that calls for changes to
Belarus' Religion Law. Authorities held them for three hours and
seized leaflets giving information about the petition campaign
before releasing the activists without charges. The same day, the
police in Minsk arrested six Protestants at an apartment and
confiscated religious tracts. Authorities detained them at a local
police department for several hours and released them later that day
without charges.
6. Opposition Challenges Demonstration Ban in Court
On June 28, the opposition Belarusian Party of Communists (BPC)
chapter in the eastern city of Gomel filed an appeal against the
authorities' ban on a demonstration scheduled for June 1 to protest
cuts of social benefits. Earlier the activists attempted to
challenge another authorities' decision not to sanction a rally in
MINSK 00000577 002 OF 002
commemoration of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant blast; however,
the judge denied an appeal on June 11. The city authorities have
not allowed a single opposition demonstration in Gomel since the
beginning of 2007 citing violations of law on mass events, but
failing to provide any particular reasons for banning the
demonstrations.
7. Milinkevich's Campaign for EU Neighborhood Policy
On June 30, former opposition presidential candidate Aleksandr
Milinkevich's "For Freedom" movement started an information campaign
about potential assistance that could be granted to Belarus under
the EU's Neighborhood Policy if the government began implementing
principles of democracy, rule of law, and respect for human rights.
Activists will distribute leaflets in public places with information
about the benefits of rapprochement with the EU. Milinkevich
reiterated that the campaign "is highly important and necessary on
the way to the future partnership of Belarus with the family of
European nations." He also added that despite what state propaganda
alleges, "Belarus is welcome in the EU, and the EU will welcome
democratic changes in Belarus".
--------------
Domestic Economy
--------------
8. Belarus' Internal Debt Up 1.2 Percent
On July 4, the GOB Finance Ministry reported that Belarus' internal
debt increased 1.2 percent on the month in May to USD 2.2 billion,
an inflation-adjusted increase of 9.1 percent through January-May.
Of this, GOB long-term debt accounted for 56.4 percent, short-term
debt for 19.5 percent, and debt secured by the GOB for 24.1
percent.
--------------
International Trade and Investment
--------------
9. GOB Forecasts USD 870 Dollar Trade Deficit
On June 29, Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Burya predicted a foreign
trade deficit of USD 870 million in the first half of 2007 for
Belarus due to a rise in imports that outpaces Belarus' rise in
exports. He stated that dealing with this situation "will depend on
the resolution of oil delivery issues, exports of refined oil and
utilization of refineries' capacities." This announcement comes
after a commodity trade deficit of USD 1.2 billion for Belarus in
the first quarter of 2007.
--------------
Quote of the Week
--------------
10. On June 26, President Lukashenko offered the following praise
to GOB prosecutors on the 85th anniversary of the founding of
Belarus' Prosecutor's Office:
During its existence, the Belarusian Prosecutor's Office has become
a secure foothold for the presidential power in overcoming illegal
processes, enforcing public security, rule of law, and stability.
Your professionalism and high moral standards underpin faith of
people in rule of law and in justice.
Stewart
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ECON EPET ENRG BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - July 06, 2007
1. The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy
Minsk.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
International Relations
--------------
- Iranian Military Delegation Comes to Belarus (para. 2)
- South Korean Trade Delegation in Minsk (para. 3)
Civil Society
--------------
- Opposition Youth Activists Get Jail Sentences (para. 4)
- Religious Activists Arrested (para. 5)
- Opposition Challenges Demonstration Ban in Court (para. 6)
- Milinkevich's Campaign for EU Neighborhood Policy (para. 7)
Domestic Economy
--------------
- Belarus' Internal Debt Up 1.2 Percent (para. 8)
International Trade and Investment
--------------
- GOB Forecasts USD 870 Million Trade Deficit (para. 9)
Quote of the Week (para. 10)
--------------
International Relations
--------------
2. Iranian Military Delegation Comes to Belarus
On July 4, military officials from Iran, including Defense Minister
Mostafa Mohammad Najjar, arrived in Minsk for talks with Belarus'
Defense Ministry and to observe GOB military training.
3. South Korean Trade Delegation in Minsk
On July 4, a delegation of representatives from the Korean Trade and
Investment Promotion Agency (KTIPA) arrived in Belarus for a two-day
visit of meetings with the GOB Council of Ministers, the Ministries
of Foreign Affairs, Economics, and Industry, and the Chamber of
Commerce and Industry. The meetings focused on trade and economic
relations between South Korea and Belarus and the possibility of
opening a KTIPA office in Minsk.
--------------
Civil Society
--------------
4. Opposition Youth Activists Get Jail Sentences
On July 4, youth opposition activists Ales Kalita and Pavel
Seredenko received 15 and 10-day jail sentences respectively. A
Minsk judge found them guilty of petty hooliganism under the
Administrative Code after police officers testified the activists
illegally distributed CDs and swore at the police. Authorities
detained Kalita and Seredenko on July 3 at the opposition Belarusian
Popular Front's (BPF) headquarters when the two activists rushed out
to help their colleague Anastasiya Ozarko escape police. Ozarko
maintained that when she was leaving the office two plainclothesmen
approached her, accused her of theft, and started pulling her
towards a car. Ozarko noted that when Kalita appeared at the court
hearing he had an injured nose and sought medical assistance.
5. Religious Activists Arrested
On July 4, police arrested 14 activists at a Roman Catholic festival
in Budslaw who were circulating a petition that calls for changes to
Belarus' Religion Law. Authorities held them for three hours and
seized leaflets giving information about the petition campaign
before releasing the activists without charges. The same day, the
police in Minsk arrested six Protestants at an apartment and
confiscated religious tracts. Authorities detained them at a local
police department for several hours and released them later that day
without charges.
6. Opposition Challenges Demonstration Ban in Court
On June 28, the opposition Belarusian Party of Communists (BPC)
chapter in the eastern city of Gomel filed an appeal against the
authorities' ban on a demonstration scheduled for June 1 to protest
cuts of social benefits. Earlier the activists attempted to
challenge another authorities' decision not to sanction a rally in
MINSK 00000577 002 OF 002
commemoration of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant blast; however,
the judge denied an appeal on June 11. The city authorities have
not allowed a single opposition demonstration in Gomel since the
beginning of 2007 citing violations of law on mass events, but
failing to provide any particular reasons for banning the
demonstrations.
7. Milinkevich's Campaign for EU Neighborhood Policy
On June 30, former opposition presidential candidate Aleksandr
Milinkevich's "For Freedom" movement started an information campaign
about potential assistance that could be granted to Belarus under
the EU's Neighborhood Policy if the government began implementing
principles of democracy, rule of law, and respect for human rights.
Activists will distribute leaflets in public places with information
about the benefits of rapprochement with the EU. Milinkevich
reiterated that the campaign "is highly important and necessary on
the way to the future partnership of Belarus with the family of
European nations." He also added that despite what state propaganda
alleges, "Belarus is welcome in the EU, and the EU will welcome
democratic changes in Belarus".
--------------
Domestic Economy
--------------
8. Belarus' Internal Debt Up 1.2 Percent
On July 4, the GOB Finance Ministry reported that Belarus' internal
debt increased 1.2 percent on the month in May to USD 2.2 billion,
an inflation-adjusted increase of 9.1 percent through January-May.
Of this, GOB long-term debt accounted for 56.4 percent, short-term
debt for 19.5 percent, and debt secured by the GOB for 24.1
percent.
--------------
International Trade and Investment
--------------
9. GOB Forecasts USD 870 Dollar Trade Deficit
On June 29, Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Burya predicted a foreign
trade deficit of USD 870 million in the first half of 2007 for
Belarus due to a rise in imports that outpaces Belarus' rise in
exports. He stated that dealing with this situation "will depend on
the resolution of oil delivery issues, exports of refined oil and
utilization of refineries' capacities." This announcement comes
after a commodity trade deficit of USD 1.2 billion for Belarus in
the first quarter of 2007.
--------------
Quote of the Week
--------------
10. On June 26, President Lukashenko offered the following praise
to GOB prosecutors on the 85th anniversary of the founding of
Belarus' Prosecutor's Office:
During its existence, the Belarusian Prosecutor's Office has become
a secure foothold for the presidential power in overcoming illegal
processes, enforcing public security, rule of law, and stability.
Your professionalism and high moral standards underpin faith of
people in rule of law and in justice.
Stewart