Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09MOSCOW2504
2009-10-02 10:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Moscow
Cable title:
BELARUSIAN EMBASSY: NO GOR PRESSURE TO RECOGNIZE
how-toVZCZCXRO9983 OO RUEHDBU RUEHSL DE RUEHMO #2504 2751031 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 021031Z OCT 09 FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4965 INFO RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS IMMEDIATE 0303 RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI IMMEDIATE 3917 RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS IMMEDIATE 3176
C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 002504
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV BO RS GG
SUBJECT: BELARUSIAN EMBASSY: NO GOR PRESSURE TO RECOGNIZE
REPUBLICS
REF: VILNIUS 00495
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Susan Elliott for reasons 1
.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 002504
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV BO RS GG
SUBJECT: BELARUSIAN EMBASSY: NO GOR PRESSURE TO RECOGNIZE
REPUBLICS
REF: VILNIUS 00495
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Susan Elliott for reasons 1
.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) In a September 25 meeting, Counselor for Political
Affairs of the Embassy of Belarus in Moscow Olga Dolgopolova
told Poloff that Russia was not pressuring Belarus to
recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
She insisted that a decision either way on the issue would
not affect Russian-Belarusian relations. While the
Belarusian Parliament was reviewing whether to recognize the
republics, as President Lukashenko announced in mid-September
(reftel),politics with Moscow were not playing a large role
in the process. The decision would be made "based on the
will of the people of Belarus."
2. (C) Dolgopolova acknowledged that immediately following
Russia's recognition of the Georgian territories last year,
Russia had exerted extreme pressure on Belarus to recognize
the breakaway regions. However, she said that, "Russia has
now moved on; it would have been important to recognize at
the height of the conflict last year, but NOW it is just not
important to Russia." Dolgopolova commented that other
diplomats queried her on an almost daily basis about which
decision Belarus might take, but the GOR had not questioned
the Belarusian Embassy about the issue.
3. (C) Noting that Belarus had the right to recognize the
two breakaway republics, Dolgopolova stressed that there was
no point in doing so now, as it was "not going to change
anything." Dolgopolova compared the status of Abkhazia with
that of Taiwan or Northern Cyprus, and stressed that
recognition alone did not make a "country" exist; rather, it
could survive without recognition as long as it was
self-sufficient with a functioning economy and residents that
supported the government. Belarus already considered
Abkhazia from this point of view, and stressed that Belarus
had for a long time maintained economic and humanitarian
relations with the territory of Abkhazia. She had no comment
on South Ossetia in this regard.
Beyrle
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV BO RS GG
SUBJECT: BELARUSIAN EMBASSY: NO GOR PRESSURE TO RECOGNIZE
REPUBLICS
REF: VILNIUS 00495
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Susan Elliott for reasons 1
.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) In a September 25 meeting, Counselor for Political
Affairs of the Embassy of Belarus in Moscow Olga Dolgopolova
told Poloff that Russia was not pressuring Belarus to
recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
She insisted that a decision either way on the issue would
not affect Russian-Belarusian relations. While the
Belarusian Parliament was reviewing whether to recognize the
republics, as President Lukashenko announced in mid-September
(reftel),politics with Moscow were not playing a large role
in the process. The decision would be made "based on the
will of the people of Belarus."
2. (C) Dolgopolova acknowledged that immediately following
Russia's recognition of the Georgian territories last year,
Russia had exerted extreme pressure on Belarus to recognize
the breakaway regions. However, she said that, "Russia has
now moved on; it would have been important to recognize at
the height of the conflict last year, but NOW it is just not
important to Russia." Dolgopolova commented that other
diplomats queried her on an almost daily basis about which
decision Belarus might take, but the GOR had not questioned
the Belarusian Embassy about the issue.
3. (C) Noting that Belarus had the right to recognize the
two breakaway republics, Dolgopolova stressed that there was
no point in doing so now, as it was "not going to change
anything." Dolgopolova compared the status of Abkhazia with
that of Taiwan or Northern Cyprus, and stressed that
recognition alone did not make a "country" exist; rather, it
could survive without recognition as long as it was
self-sufficient with a functioning economy and residents that
supported the government. Belarus already considered
Abkhazia from this point of view, and stressed that Belarus
had for a long time maintained economic and humanitarian
relations with the territory of Abkhazia. She had no comment
on South Ossetia in this regard.
Beyrle