BELARUS: EMBASSY SEIZES MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VILNIUS 000429

AMEMBASSY MINSK SENDS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAO BO
SUBJECT: BELARUS: EMBASSY SEIZES MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES

Summary and Introduction
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1. (SBU) In recent months of escalating tension with the GOB, post
has engaged the local independent and state-run press on numerous
occasions, ensuring that the USG perspective is heard by as wide a
Belarusian audience as possible. A series of attacks by the
state-dominated media on the Embassy's activities, included publicly
(and privately) accusing its staff of running a spy ring and
interfering with internal politics, then declaring ten U.S.
diplomats to be personae non gratae. In response, post worked to
navigate the tightly controlled media environment to ensure rapid
and ongoing efforts to set the record straight through interviews --
many of which have included video content available on the internet
-- with independent newspapers, broadcasters, and news services.
End summary and introduction.

"Spy Ring" Attack
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2. (U) Although attacks on the Embassy staff and its activities by
the GOB-controlled media have been regular in recent years, they
became pointed in mid-March when the state-controlled TV's First
Channel (BT) accused the Embassy security office of running a "spy
ring." Showing clandestine footage taken during a raid of the
Embassy's surveillance detection office, BT accused the team of
collecting intelligence data for the FBI, citing photography
equipment and thousands of photographs, including some of police and
buildings. In interviews with the independent Belapan on March 24
and Russian-based Interfax on March 28, Charge debunked the
accusations. The resulting media coverage highlighted the Embassy's
rebuttal alongside the BT allegations, and the story has mostly
faded from public view.

Making the Headlines
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3. (U) At the peak of the tension -- the GOB's declaration of ten
diplomats as personae non gratae on April 30 -- Charge presented the
USG's side of the story to a packed room of media representatives
within an hour of receiving the information from the MFA (and before
anyone in the GOB was available for comment). Bringing the
discussion immediately to human rights issues, Charge emphasized
that "to the United States, the number of American diplomats in
Belarus is far less important than the number of political
prisoners." This quote ran as this top story's headline on several
independent websites, including as Charter 97 and Naviny.by. Charge
hammered the GOB decision as "unprecedented and unjustified." The
widely-read tut.by site carried this lead story for two days. Other
reports on the press conference, providing the Embassy's viewpoint,
appeared in the U.S. press -- including the Washington Post, U.S.
News and World Report, USA Today, the New York Times, Los Angeles
Times, etc. -- and on international websites from Al Jazeera to
Xinhua.

Numbers That Count
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4. (U) Charge took the opportunity to highlight the Embassy's
history of strengthening ties with the Belarusian people since
opening in 1992. He cited distribution of over USD 270 million in
humanitarian aid, issuance of over 89,000 visas, 1042 cultural and
social exchange visits by Belarusian to the U.S., sponsorship of
study in the U.S. for over 300 students, and contribution of over
USD 500,000 in books, magazines, audiovisual equipment and internet
access for American Corners, among others. Independent web portals
(Charter 97, Belapan, Radio Liberty),newspapers (Yezhednevnik,
Nasha Niva),and several radio stations (Belradio, European Radio
for Belarus) cited these figures in separate articles as part of
their extensive coverage of the press conference.

Inter-Networking
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6. (U) After the departure on May 3 of diplomats declared PNG, an
event that received extensive international media coverage, Charge
conducted video-taped, web-based interviews with Radio Liberty's
Belarusian Service May 5 and with independent portal Belapan May 8.
Reacting to the suggestion that the USG could levy further sanctions
if the human rights situation does not improve, several readers
challenged Charge to explain our sanctions policy. Emphasizing the
link with human rights issues, Charge highlighted the fundamental
similarity of USG policy with the European Union (EU). He told
readers that any further sanctions would be the "result of the
undemocratic nature of the regime" and explained that the goal of
sanctions was political and economic reform by the GOB. Various
independent sources covered our views on sanctions.


7. (U) In the wake of the clarification of sanctions announced May
15 (when three subsidiaries of state-controlled energy conglomerate
Belneftekhim were designated by the Office of Foreign Assets

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Control),post arranged interviews with Komsomolskaya Pravda (KP)
and the Russian-based Vremya Novostey May 19. During an online
conference with KP, Charge answered a wide range of questions from
the Belarusian public, particularly on consular and visa services.
Charge assured readers that Belarusians, including students
traveling as part of the Summer Work and Travel (SWT) program, are
still receiving visas at neighboring embassies in large numbers. In
response to concern about cultural programs, Charge underlined
continued plans for a visit by American jazz musicians, a Hollywood
classics film festival, and the popular annual "Ambasovishcha"
festival of Belarusian bands. The print edition of KP, the most
widely-read paper in the country, published excerpts related to the
recent sanctions, including why these enterprises were chosen, how
that would affect Belarusian image in the U.S. and steps to be taken
by Belarus for the sanctions to be lifted. (C/05J/}
separate stories on each issue.

Not a Bargaining Chip
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8. (U) Speaking with Vremya Novostey, Charge covered a spectrum of
timely issues, emphasizing that the Embassy continues to function
with four diplomats and has no plans to close. He clarified that
the United States does not see any link between the number of
diplomats in Minsk and sanctions. Rather, he said, the state of
human rights and in particular the continued detention of three
political prisoners determined the continuation of sanctions against
Belneftekhim subsidiaries. In addition to Vremya Novostey's
interview, which was printed in full, the story ran under the
headline "Political Prisoners are Not a Bargaining Chip" and was
picked up by a number of Belarusian independent websites.

Comment
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9. (SBU) One of the very few benefits of the regime's demonization
of the U.S. Embassy has been a great increase in media interest,
which we have worked to turn to the best possible advantage. As
before the diplomatic crisis began, our focus is on answering the
queries of independent and private media rather than responding to
the scurrilous attacks of the regime's "journalists." Our approach
also contrasts usefully with the surreptitious, closed-door approach
of the GOB to questions from the press. As the state-run media
recently launched another attack, this time against the Embassy's
Small Grants Program, we will continue to push our message to the
public as often and effectively as possible. Interviews are
scheduled with Interfax June 3 and with Novyye Izvestiya June 4.

MOORE
CLOUD