BELARUS: NEW INTERIOR MINISTER APPOINTED

UNCLAS MINSK 000171 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR BO SUBJECT: BELARUS: NEW INTERIOR MINISTER APPOINTED REF: MINSK 106 ¶1. (SBU) Belarusian President Lukashenka formally appointed a new Minister of Internal Affairs June 2. Anatol Kulyashou, who has been acting Minister, is a career policeman -- in contrast to his predecessor. He has largely remained behind the scenes and is generally well regarded. The Ministry's most controversial actions, including the violent dispersal of post-election protests in 2006, were conducted by OMON special units controlled by Minister Navumau rather than by forces under Kulyashou's authority; he has not been mentioned as being complicit in human rights offenses. Bio note -------------- ¶2. (U) Kulyashou, born in 1959, graduated from the Minsk Police Academy and served in various positions in Belarus' capital before becoming the head of the police in the Gomel region in ¶2001. He returned to Minsk as police chief in 2003, and became the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs with oversight responsibility for the public order police in August 2008. Kulyashou was named First Deputy Minister in December 2008, and was tapped to be Acting Minister upon Uladzimir Navumau's departure from office in April 2009 (reftel). Comment -------------- ¶3. (SBU) There has been some comment here about the delay in filling the ministership. Serving as acting Minister, Kulyashou was an likely choice, but had been rumored to not want the top job. Separately, members of the diplomatic community who have encountered Kulyashou describe him as a professional rather than political figure. Time -- and the conduct of the Ministry's personnel -- will help observers evaluate him further. MOORE