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 -------------- ¶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 -------------- ¶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 -------------- ¶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 -------------- ¶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 -------------- ¶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 VILNIUS 00000429 002 OF 002 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 -------------- ¶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 -------------- ¶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