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| Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05MINSK1006 |
POLICE DISRUPT U.S. DIPLOMAT'S MEETING WITH [...] (C) Summary: Gomel Police officers disrupted a meeting between NGOs and two Emboffs on August 24 and prevented the latter from leaving for 40 minutes. Poloff presented his dipcard to police officers and was held until two more police and an immigration officer arrived. The immigration officer [...] |
2005-08-24 14:36:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1013 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - August 24, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ------------ Human Rights ------------ Authorities Annul Two Weekly Papers' Registration 2. On August 22, Minsk authorities deregistered Denpress (i.e. the company that produces the independent we [...] |
2005-08-26 14:38:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1022 |
Resuscitating the Soviet Idelogical Machine [...] (U) Summary: Under Presiden Lukashenko, Belarus has adopted an "official Belrusian ideology," which in many respects is remiiscent of that promulgated under communism. The oficial ideology is to be taught in schools, univrsities and workplaces, through the media and th Orthodox Church. Belar [...] |
2005-08-31 10:41:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV SOCI PHU ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1023 |
Press Accuses Marines of Smuggling, Romance [...] (C) Summary: The independent, but pro-Lukashenko, weekly newspaper Obozrevatel ("Observer") ran a story August 26 accusing Embassy Minsk's Marine Security Guards and other Emboffs of smuggling campaign literature into Belarus for the opposition in 2001. The paper admits this article is in res [...] |
2005-08-31 10:54:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1026 |
MFA RESPONDS TO DIP NOTE ON DETAINED U.S. DIPLOMAT [...] (U) On August 31 Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials called in CDA to discuss the results of the MFA's investigation into the August 23 detention of Poloff and LES political assistant in Gomel (reftel). Pavel Pustovoi and Alexander Strigelsky of the MFA Americas Desk reported police in Gome [...] |
2005-09-01 05:54:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK1040 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - August 31, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ----------------------- International Relations ----------------------- 2. Parliamentarians Extremely Critical of USG Response to Hurricane Katrina On September 1, Chairman of the Commission for [...] |
2005-09-02 14:38:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1041 |
Georgian Activists Released and Have Left [...] (C) Summary: On September 2, two detained Georgians won their court appeal, were released, and immediately left Belarus for Kiev. The Kmara activists were arrested in Minsk on August 24 for invalid documents and then sentenced to 15 days for insulting their cellmate. With help from a Belarus [...] |
2005-09-02 14:39:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG BO |
| 05MINSK1052 |
Lukashenko Continues His Slander Campaign [...] Summary: President Lukashenko continues to slander the U.S. and the Belarusian opposition via the state- controlled media on a daily basis. In recent speeches he has accused the U.S. and the West of trying to destabilize Belarus using the country's ethnic Poles as pawns and training revoluti [...] |
2005-09-06 12:19:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1054 |
IISEPS in Trouble Again [...] (SBU) On September 2 Oleg Manaev, head of the deregistered polling agency IISEPS, discussed IISEPS' latest troubles with the authorities with Poloff. Belarus' Supreme Court revoked IISEPS' registration in April (reftel). Maneav subsequently registered IISEPS in Lithuania. In July, the Minist [...] |
2005-09-06 14:44:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK1055 |
Media Polling: Most Watch, Distrust State News [...] (SBU) Summary: On September 2 the head of the IISEPS polling service provided polling results for a June poll ISEPS conducted on media access in Belarus. The poll found that a minority of Belarusians have access to satellite TV or the internet, and that over 80% watch Belarusian state televis [...] |
2005-09-06 14:44:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR BO |
| 05MINSK1062 |
Regional Opposition Malaise [...] (C) Summary: In the past month Poloffs visited three mid-sized Belarusian cities, each an hour or two from Minsk, to the west, northeast and southeast. In each we found a shrinking and demoralized opposition struggling to stay alive. Most were at a loss as to how to promote themselves to the [...] |
2005-09-07 08:25:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR BO |
| 05MINSK1074 |
BELARUS WILL NOT FULFILL ILO RECOMMENDATIONS [...] (C) Summary: The deadline for Belarus to fulfill ILO recommendations on labor rights is approaching, but Belarus has yet to make any improvements. The ILO representative in Minsk admitted that technically, the GOB has made some "progress", but in reality, these recommendations are not realiz [...] |
2005-09-08 11:44:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | ELAB PHUM PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK1075 |
"Privatization Not For Slavs" [...] (C) Summary: On August 19, Lukashenko opined that Slavs are not mentally ready for privatization and, therefore, private farms have no future in Belarus. According to Lukashenko, the state collective is the best option and must be preserved. The president's statements drew sharp criticism fr [...] |
2005-09-08 11:45:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR PGOV ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1079 |
Would You Go on Holiday in Belarus? [...] (U) Summary: President Lukashenko decided this year that tourism in Belarus must increase, and the GOB issued a number of new laws to ensure that it does. Lukashenko also wants stricter enforcement of hunting legislation. Agro and eco tourism are slowly taking off in rural regions, but thos [...] |
2005-09-08 13:26:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1086 |
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS SET TO BE IN EARLY SUMMER [...] Summary: The chair of the Central Election Committee (CEC) announced on August 30 that the 2006 presidential election would be held no later than July 20. The chair of the CEC explained the basic rules for an election campaign while not trying to hide her pro-Lukashenko attitude. She predic [...] |
2005-09-12 05:14:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1090 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - September 7, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ------------ Human Rights ------------ 2. Belarusian Trafficker Extradited from Spain On September 2, Spanish police arrested and extradited a Belarusian woman suspected of involvement in an inte [...] |
2005-09-12 10:41:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1099 |
Lukashenko to Help Opposition [...] (C) Summary: Lukashenko recently announced he would assist the opposition in finding a venue for their convention inside Belarus. This statement came after all venues in the country already rejected the opposition's application. The 10+'s organizer, Aleksandr Bukhvostov, has been in contact [...] |
2005-09-13 14:28:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR BO |
| 05MINSK1106 |
The Few, The Timid, The Youth Groups [...] (SBU) Summary: Poloff met with a series of non-partisan youth NGOs to determine young peoples' attitudes to the present and future of Belarus. All of the youth organization leaders criticized GOB policies regarding youth and democracy. They also painted a dismal picture of the situation for [...] |
2005-09-15 07:04:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PINR BO CH |
| 05MINSK1107 |
Tourism Part II: An Examination of Agrotourism [...] Summary: (U) The GOB has a two-part program for tourism: to increase tourism within Belarus by Belarusians and to increase the number of foreign tourists to Belarus. On September 3 and 4, Emboffs set off to test the tourism waters, starting with an overnight at an agrotourism farm. They also [...] |
2005-09-15 07:06:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1126 |
Unexpectedly Active Opposition in Southwest [...] (C) Summary: September 12 was the tenth anniversary of the Belarusian military shooting down a hot air balloon and killing the two American pilots. Emboffs and local residents visited the crash site. While in the region, Emboffs also visited local civil society leaders in three nearby small [...] |
2005-09-16 10:30:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV CASC BO |
| 05MINSK1129 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - September 14, [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ------------- Civil Society ------------- 2. Opposition Congress Secures Location, But Wants More Following Lukashenko's instruction to Minsk city officials to assist the opposition 10+ coalition [...] |
2005-09-16 12:03:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1145 |
Trade with Russia Falls under New VAT Rules [...] Summary: In January Belarus and Russia switched the way VAT on bilateral trade is paid. President Lukashenko and other GOB officials constantly state this change benefited Belarus, and bilateral trade has increased. However, the GOB's own statistics show a 8.9 percent drop in commerce with Be [...] |
2005-09-20 12:04:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ETRD BO |
| 05MINSK1146 |
Who's Taking over Djem Bank? [...] Summary: Since late July the GOB has been exerting heavy pressure on foreign owned Djem Bank. The National Bank of Belarus admitted it misused the law to take control of the bank. It then revoked a number of Djem's licenses, demanding the bank return USD 16.5 million it loaned abroad to Belar [...] |
2005-09-20 12:06:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EINV PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK1148 |
Beaten Zubr Hospitalized [...] (SBU) Summary: Nikita Sasim, one of the Zubr youth group's coordinators, was punched several times by OMON riot police as they dispersed a protest September 16. He went to the hospital that evening and was diagnosed with a concussion. He will remain in hospital until September 22. Zubr claim [...] |
2005-09-20 14:06:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM BO PGOV |
| 05MINSK1155 |
Chernobyl Report Met with Criticism by Some [...] (C) Summary: The Chernobyl Forum, comprised of several UN organizations, recently released its report on the consequences of the Chernobyl accident 20 years later. The report predicts much lower deaths and health effects than previously predicted and calls earlier assessments "exaggerated an [...] |
2005-09-22 10:23:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG PGOV MNUC SENV TBIO TRGY BO |
| 05MINSK1159 |
Minsk Wants Bilateral WTO Negotiations [...] (U) Summary: Econoff met September 13 with MFA representatives Anton Kudasov, Deputy Director of the Directorate of Foreign Trade, and Sergey Gulevich, Deputy Head of the Division of Foreign Trade Policy, to discuss Belarus' accession to the World Trade Organization. Kudasov argued strongly fo [...] |
2005-09-23 05:34:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETRD ECON ECIN WTRO BO |
| 05MINSK1163 |
Bombing in Vitebsk [...] At 2217 hours on September 22 a small bomb detonated inside a discotheque at 35A Lenin Street in Vitebsk, north-eastern Belarus. Approximately 40 people were injured, three or four of them are considered to be in serious but not life-threatening condition. There were no fatalities and no Americ [...] |
2005-09-23 12:14:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | MOPS PTER PGOV CASC BO |
| 05MINSK1164 |
MOJ: Any Political Organization Must Register [...] (U) On September 19 Minister of Justice Viktor Golovanov signed a "postanovlenie" (ruling, or ordinance) regulating the political activities of Belarusians. Specifically, the ruling demands that, "Before conducting any events of a political character or forming any blocs of political parties, [...] |
2005-09-23 13:55:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PINR BO |
| 05MINSK1165 |
Flaws in Single Candidate Process [...] (C) Summary: The independent election observation NGO Partnership recently released a report on the conduct of the opposition 10+ coalition's single candidate process. Partnership documented numerous instances of harassment by the regime, but also pointed out failings by the oppositiQ, such as [...] |
2005-09-23 13:57:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PINR BO |
| 05MINSK1167 |
Protestant Churches Pressured [...] (SBU) Summary: The New Life Church has employed numerous techniques to protest the GOB's denial of its re- registration, but thus far without success. The latest meeting between the church and the GOB has proven unfruitful and neither side will yield its position; thus a cooperative resolutio [...] |
2005-09-26 08:11:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV KIRF BO |
| 05MINSK1169 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - September 23, [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ------------- Civil Society ------------- 2. GOB Customs Service "Stays Outside Politics" On September 16, the State Customs Committee announced that the GOB has not ordered the Belarusian customs [...] |
2005-09-27 05:22:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1177 |
Largest Private Bank Offers Foreign Policy Advice [...] (SBU) Summary: The chairman of the Austrian holding company that owns Priorbank, the largest and most internationally recognized private bank in Belarus, recently stated his company has been seeking a change in EU policy vis-Q-vis Belarus. Dr. Herbert Stepic, the Chairman of Raiffeisen Inter [...] |
2005-09-28 10:26:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EINV PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK1192 |
New Poll - Lukashenko Already Winning [...] (U) Summary: NOVAK released the results of its August - September survey and presented an analysis to Pol Chief on September 27. Lukashenko's rating jumped 5 percentage points while the leading opposition contenders' ratings remained below one percent. However, the percentage of those who di [...] |
2005-09-29 13:22:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1193 |
Narodnaya Volya Hits Rock Bottom [...] (SBU) Summary: A district court froze independent newspaper Narodnaya Volya's bank account and assets on September 27. The court also demanded it pay BYR 100 million damages awarded to a government official in a June lawsuit. With its account frozen and little time to collect the needed sum, [...] |
2005-09-30 05:44:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 05MINSK1194 |
Single Opposition Candidate Convention Almost A [...] (C) Summary: The 10+ coalition leaders are frantically making the final preparations for the single candidate convention, which will take place in Minsk October 1-2. The approximately 900 delegates will select one of the four candidates to be the single candidate on the second day of the con [...] |
2005-09-30 10:02:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PINR BO |
| 05MINSK1199 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - September 30, [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ------------- Civil Society ------------- 2. Hail to Luka Youth! President Lukashenko signed a presidential edict on September 24 restoring the Soviet era name, Lenin Komsomol of Belarus, to the [...] |
2005-09-30 13:12:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1205 |
Opposition Chooses Single Candidate [...] (C) Summary: The 10+ coalition, by far Belarus' largest opposition group, held its Congress of Democratic Forces in Minsk October 1 and 2 and narrowly chose Aleksandr Milinkevich to be its single candidate to challenge President Lukashenko in the July 2006 elections. This congress was the cul [...] |
2005-10-03 14:24:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PINR BO |
| 05MINSK1227 |
"BELARUS' ELECTION MORE DEMOCRATIC THAN THOSE IN [...] (C) Summary: In an October 5 meeting, Head of the Central Election Committee (CEC) Ludmilla Yermoshina and her deputy explained to Pol Chief the processes of choosing an election date and registering presidential candidates. The election will be no later than July 20 and campaigning will begin [...] |
2005-10-07 10:43:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PINR BO |
| 05MINSK1231 |
New IISEPS Poll: Lukashenko Will Win, [...] Summary: Head of the IISEPS polling service delivered his recent survey results to Ambassador on September 30. Similar to other polls, IISEPS confirmed that Lukashenko enjoys a large lead over his opposition and is trusted by the majority. However, many of the respondents indicated it was ti [...] |
2005-10-07 10:46:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1232 |
BELARUS: DEMOCRACY PROMOTION STRATEGIES [...] (C) The Lukashenko regime is engaged in a clear and comprehensive effort to continue and deepen Lukashenko's dictatorial rule over Belarus. The regime has created a climate of fear in the country and is attempting to eliminate any possibility for democratic change through an aggressive anti- [...] |
2005-10-07 10:52:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PINR EAID PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1235 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - October 6, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ------------ Human Rights ------------ 2. Fines, Fines and More Fines On September 30, a Belarusian court ordered the nation wide independent weekly newspaper BDG Delovaya Gazeta to pay BYR 50 m [...] |
2005-10-11 08:04:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1236 |
Who is Alexander Milinkevich? [...] (SBU) Summary: The Congress of Democratic Forces of Belarus nominated physics professor, former deputy mayor of Grodno and NGO activist Alexander Milinkevich to run in the 2006 presidential elections against current president Aleksandr Lukashenko. A cultured, quiet man with Western exposure, [...] |
2005-10-11 11:42:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR BO |
| 05MINSK1262 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - October 13, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ------------ Human Rights ------------ 2. New Life Church Fined Again On October 7, a Minsk court fined New Life Church administrator Vasily Yurevich BYR 4,350,000 [USD 2,000] for organizing ill [...] |
2005-10-14 14:52:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1271 |
INTERVIEW WITH LUKASHENKO'S WIFE [...] (U) Summary: An independent newspaper interviewed President Lukashenko's separated wife, Galina, on September 29. His wife spoke of how the two met and their short time living together as husband and wife. Galina claimed she and Lukashenko are still legally married and that it was her deci [...] |
2005-10-17 14:02:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR BO |
| 05MINSK1274 |
No UNESCO Demarche [...] Post believes that delivering the reftel letter and talking points would be counterproductive and provides the GOB more ammunition for its anti-U.S. propaganda campaign. Post does not expect the GOB to support the U.S. position. 2. On October 13, Belarusian state television featured a short [...] |
2005-10-18 07:48:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | ETRD PREL SCUL UNESCO BO |
| 05MINSK1284 |
CIVIL SOCIETY LEADERS DISCUSS IMPACT OF [...] (C) Summary: Since the October 2 nomination of Aleksandr Milinkevich by the democratic congress, Emboffs have conducted a series of meetings with civil society leaders and political analysts to assess the significance of the democratic congress and of Milinkevich's presidential bid. Most obs [...] |
2005-10-21 11:28:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PINR BO |
| 05MINSK1286 |
China Q Belarus Relations: Politically Strong, [...] (C) Summary: On October 14 the newly arrived Chinese Ambassador candidly discussed Chinese-Belarusian relations. He asserted his main task is to increase Belarusian Q Chinese economic ties to balance the strong political ties between Minsk and Beijing. He complained that this would be an impo [...] |
2005-10-21 14:21:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PINR ECON BO CH |
| 05MINSK1289 |
NSG-India Demarche Delivered [...] No summary [...] |
2005-10-24 05:48:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PARM KNNP BO |
| 05MINSK1291 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - October 20, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ------------ Human Rights ------------ 2. Approximately 100,000 Belarusians Unite in Solidarity Campaign On October 16, the "Free Belarus" Coalition, including Nikita Sasim, journalist Irina Kha [...] |
2005-10-24 08:24:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1292 |
Mystery Surrounds Death of Independent Journalist [...] (C) Summary: On October 18, Vasily Grodnikov, contributor to the independent daily Narodnaya Volya (NV), was found dead in his apartment with an injury caused by a blow to the head with a blunt object. It remains unclear whether or not he was murdered, even though the forensic results have be [...] |
2005-10-24 08:29:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 05MINSK1305 |
Importing Barley A "Treasonous" Act [...] (SBU) Summary: The GOB has been trying to promote domestic beer production since 2003. Though Belarusian beer is cheap and sold in half-liter or larger bottles, the low quality of the barley used in brewing has resulted in even worse tasting beer and the industry's loss in competitiveness on [...] |
2005-10-26 11:36:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR PGOV ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1312 |
Belarus Unlikely to Help Pakistan with Mi-17 Parts [...] On October 27, Emboffs delivered reftel information to the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and Ministry of Emergency Situations (MChS). Deputy MChS Minister Boris Baringolts said it was doubtful Belarus could supply the needed parts as his ministry had difficulty keeping its own h [...] |
2005-10-27 14:24:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | AEMR ASEC EAID PGOV PK PREF NATO MASS BO |
| 05MINSK1316 |
MILINKEVICH APPEALS TO US AMBASSADOR FOR [...] (C) Summary: On October 26, Aleksandr Milinkevich discussed with Ambassador his campaign activities following the October 1-2 democratic congress (ref A). He was relatively pleased with his efforts to pull together a unified campaign team, and was cautiously optimistic he and his team could [...] |
2005-10-28 11:15:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PINR BO |
| 05MINSK1317 |
NO PROTECTION FROM TRIPLE JEOPARDY IN BELARUS [...] (C) Summary: On October 11, the Supreme Economic Court (SEC) announced it would retry for the third time the tax authority's case against the Belarusian Helsinki Committee (BHC) for failure to pay back taxes on a European Union (EU) grant. Despite two court decisions in the past eighteen mont [...] |
2005-10-28 11:18:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK1323 |
Minsk Expects Big Profit from Kyoto Protocol [...] (U) Summary: On September 23, Econoff met with Deputy Minister of Natural Resources Aleksandr Apatskiy to discuss Belarus' plans after acceding to the Kyoto Protocol, and its plans in general to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. President Lukashenko signed the Kyoto Protocol into law in August, [...] |
2005-10-31 06:39:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | SENV ENRG ETRD ECON PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK1324 |
Belarus Cozies Up to Iran [...] (SBU) Summary: In recent months Belarus and Iran have greatly increased their contacts and friendly rhetoric, including an invitation for Belarusians to work on the Iranian nuclear program and improve trade ties. Belarusian factories are being founded in Iran, and Iranian businessmen are sear [...] |
2005-10-31 08:45:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL ETRD BO IR |
| 05MINSK1327 |
Embassy Officers Encounter Problems In Slutsk [...] (C) Summary: On October 19, poloffs visited the southern town of Slutsk to view the GOB's large-scale, harvest- related renovation of the city and to meet with various government, opposition, and social leaders. State media reporters and regional authorities harassed poloffs and interfered in [...] |
2005-10-31 12:55:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1328 |
MFA Arms Control Raises Old Issues [...] (SBU) Summary: On October 14, Ambassador Krol met with MFA Arms Control and International Security Director Alexander Baichorov before Baichorov's trip to the U.S. to participate in the UN First Committee. Baichorov provided the Ambassador with information on a proposed First Committee Resol [...] |
2005-10-31 13:01:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PARM KNNP MNUC BO |
| 05MINSK1330 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - October 28, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ------------ Human Rights ------------ 2. Authorities Cancel Youth Forum, Youth Leaders Detained On October 22, authorities prevented a meeting of 85 leaders of youth organization from all the r [...] |
2005-10-31 14:17:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1342 |
MILINKEVICH TEAM OUTLINES CAMPAIGN STRATEGY [...] (C) Summary: Ambassador and Pol/Econ Chief recently met with 10+ presidential nominee Aleksandr Milinkevich and several leaders of his team to discuss their plans to bring about democratic change around the time of the 2006 presidential elections. The strategy, though still in its elementary [...] |
2005-11-01 13:20:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PINR BO |
| 05MINSK1343 |
Election Observers Arrested, Convicted [...] (SBU) Summary: Minsk police on October 29 raided a conference held by Belarus' largest election observation group Partnership and detained 60 participants. Most were released after documentation checks but four senior members were charged and convicted of organizing an illegal gathering. Th [...] |
2005-11-01 13:21:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK1347 |
Belarus and Russia to Unite? Not this Year [...] (C) Summary: Reportedly on November 15, Presidents Putin and Lukashenko are scheduled to review the latest draft of the Constitutional Act on the Belarus-Russia union (although rumors now circulate that this could be postponed to December). The draft has not been made public, and is reportedl [...] |
2005-11-02 12:20:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK1348 |
FREEDMON TO TRAVEL FREELY IN THEORY ONLY [...] Summary: In the past month, the GOB has taken a series of steps - including detentions at airports and borders, seizures at customs, travel bans, and refusals to issue exit travel permits - to prevent opposition leaders and activists from traveling abroad freely. The GOB's actions indicate a [...] |
2005-11-03 07:54:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 05MINSK1352 |
Grodno Trip A Success, Attracts Attention [...] (C) Summary: Poloffs visited 10+ opposition candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich's hometown of Grodno on October 25. Due to the usual government harassment, the independent press has become largely internet based and hopes Western countries will continue with plans to broadcast radio news to Belar [...] |
2005-11-02 07:40:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1355 |
Minsk Fails to Defend Confiscation Record [...] (SBU) Summary: On October 25, State Customs Committee (SCC) officials attempted to defend their government's confiscation practices to Econoff. Their main arguments were that the SCC used to confiscate much more, even though current levels remain high, and that confiscations `were not their id [...] |
2005-11-08 11:04:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ETRD PGOV WTRO BO |
| 05MINSK1359 |
Belarus Reneges on SA/LW Destruction; De-mining on Track [...] (SBU) Summary: Minsk previously asked the OSCE for help securing stockpiles of excess Small Arms and Light Weapons (SA/LW), and in their destruction. Several OSCE missions, following the UK's lead, were ready to contribute. Now, however, Minsk has withdrawn its offer to destroy excess SA/LW, [...] |
2005-11-08 13:42:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PARM PGOV MASS OSCE NATO BO |
| 05MINSK1363 |
Extreme Extremist Law Passes First Reading [...] (SBU) Summary: On October 26 Belarus' parliament passed the first reading of a bill to combat extremism. The bill specifically mentions political parties, NGOs, mass media, and religious organizations as potential sources of extremism. A senior BKGB officer introduced the law to parliament, a [...] |
2005-11-09 12:09:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 05MINSK1365 |
Ambassador's Trip to Mozyr [...] (SBU) Ambassador and Emboffs visited the southeastern Belarusian city of Mozyr November 3 and 4. Ambassador met with the head of Mozyr refinery and toured the facility (septel), opened the Embassy's tenth American corner in a local library, gave interviews to local print and broadcast media, [...] |
2005-11-09 12:11:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 05MINSK1381 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - November 10, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ------------ Human Rights ------------ 2. Den Newspaper Sees Its Final Day On November 4, the Minsk City Economic Court upheld the decision to annul Denpress' registration for failure to operate [...] |
2005-11-15 07:03:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1383 |
Re-Nationalization of Industry Continues [...] (SBU) Summary: Reftel describes how the GOB has been using the Golden Share to nationalize a number of companies. Over the summer the GOB invoked the Golden Share to take temporary control of several firms. The GOB then ordered these companies to issue large numbers of severely undervalued sh [...] |
2005-11-15 11:10:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EINV PGOV WTRO BO |
| 05MINSK1384 |
Belarusian TV Accuses U.S. Diplomats of Revolutionary [...] (U) Summary: Belarus' national television channel aired exposes on November 4 and 13 accusing U.S. intelligence agencies of using NGOs and the human rights/democracy campaign as covers for spreading revolutions around the world. The hosts of the two programs proposed that Emboffs were partic [...] |
2005-11-15 11:58:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1387 |
Free Press Cut from State Distribution Network [...] (SBU) Summary: On November 4 and 11, Belarusian state postal service provider RUP Belpochta announced it would remove four independent newspapers from the list of periodicals available for subscription in 2006. On November 9, the Ministry of Information issued a warning to the editor of "Zhod [...] |
2005-11-16 08:56:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 05MINSK1391 |
Mozyr Refinery Highly Profitable [...] (SBU) Summary: Belarus has two oil refineries, in Mozyr and Novopolotsk. The GOB owns the Novopolotsk refinery and 43% of the Mozyr refinery, but is trying to take ownership of another 12% from an employee association. The Mozyr Oil Refinery (MOR) can refine 10 million tons of oil per year. [...] |
2005-11-16 14:20:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EPET ENRG ECON ETRD BO |
| 05MINSK1393 |
Minsk Obstinate on WTO [...] At a November 11 press conference, Belarus' MFA lashed out at the European Union, United States and Australia for "politicizing" Belarus' WTO membership. Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhnevich, who led the Belarusian delegation at the October 24 informal consultations in Geneva (ref B), told the p [...] |
2005-11-16 14:21:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | ETRD WTRO PGOV USTR BO |
| 05MINSK1404 |
GOB: "We're Peaceful, Friendly" [...] Summary and comment: In recent weeks Belarusian state owned television has aired several hostile and tendentious "news" programs accusing U.S. diplomats of espionage, orchestrating the political opposition, and trying to destabilize Belarus. State owned newspapers have carried similar stories [...] |
2005-11-21 14:10:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV SOCI BO |
| 05MINSK1405 |
Lukashenko Forming an Obedient Electorate Ahead of the [...] (SBU) Summary: Since the beginning of September, Lukashenko has stepped up populist efforts to buy the people's support for his election. At the same time, he has intensified his campaign to liquidate opposition forces within the media, youth, and workforce in order to prevent what he portray [...] |
2005-11-22 06:32:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1406 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - November 18, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ------------ Human Rights ------------ 2. State Distribution Lists Cuts Eleven Independent Newspapers On November 15, Belarusian state postal service provider RUP Belpochta removed six more inde [...] |
2005-11-22 07:00:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1409 |
INDEPENDENT POLLS FALL UNDER GOB CONTROL [...] (SBU) Summary: On November 12, the GOB announced that all independent polling institutions must receive accreditation by a special panel of the Belarusian National Academy of Sciences. The resolution enumerates several requirements the pollsters must meet in order to receive accreditation, wh [...] |
2005-11-22 11:40:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1410 |
Empty Victory for Narodnaya Volya [...] (SBU) Summary: On November 17, the Minsk City Economic Court ordered the state-run publishing house, Krasnaya Zvezda (KZ), to begin publishing the independent newspaper Narodnaya Volya (NV) again after KZ broke its contract with the paper. However, it is unlikely KZ will actually print any is [...] |
2005-11-22 11:42:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 05MINSK1419 |
Day of Solidarity Numbers Don't Add Up [...] (SBU) Summary: On November 16, opposition activists hosted the second "Day of Solidarity" with those who have been persecuted by the GOB. While the organizers reported extremely high levels of participation, embassy observations suggest their numbers were inflated. End summary. 2. (U) On [...] |
2005-11-23 07:38:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK1422 |
MFA Begs for WTO Help [...] (SBU) Summary: One week after publicly lambasting the U.S. for "blocking" Belarus' WTO application for political reasons, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhnevich summoned Ambassador to complain about the USG position and ask for assistance in moving forward. Ambassador replied it was the GOB, not US [...] |
2005-11-23 10:49:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETRD WTRO PGOV USTR BO |
| 05MINSK1425 |
GOB Forum Warns Against Investing in Belarus [...] Summary: On November 17 Econoff and Econasst attended an investment conference in Mogilev, eastern Belarus, hosted by local authorities. In traditional fashion, about half the speakers called for foreign and domestic investment to Mogilev. However, the rest of the speakers presented reasons n [...] |
2005-11-23 12:21:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | ETRD ECON EINV BO |
| 05MINSK1432 |
Avian and Pandemic Influenza Information from [...] This is a response to ref A action request. All information is from Emboff meetings (ref B) with Belarusian Ministry of Health (MoH) officials, public briefings, and press statements. A Plan for Avian Influenza -------------------------- 2. The GOB has a preparedness plan/strategy for [...] |
2005-11-25 12:33:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | TBIO SENV ECON EAGR EAID PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1433 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - November 25, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ------------ Human Rights ------------ 2. New Life Church's Building is NOT a Cow Barn On November 17, the New Life Church filed its third application for registration at the address of the forme [...] |
2005-11-25 13:45:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1436 |
Security Advisory Opinion (FEDULOV, YURIY) [...] (S) Summary: Post requests guidance regarding the visa application of Yuri Nikolaevich Fedulov. Mr. Fedulov is applying for a visa in order to attend NATO working group conferences and to visit family. The previous Defense Attache and the previous Consular Officer at Embassy Minsk had seriou [...] |
2005-11-29 08:44:00 | Embassy Minsk | SECRET | CVIS FEDULOV YURIY PINR PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK1437 |
Three Years In Jail for Discrediting Belarus [...] (U) Summary: Belarus' lower house of Parliament on November 25 approved in first reading amendments to the criminal code that would make it a criminal offense to participate in demonstrations or give "false" information to foreign entities and international organizations. Though still requiri [...] |
2005-11-30 14:14:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1444 |
Human Rights Day 2005 Plans [...] No summary [...] |
2005-12-01 10:11:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 05MINSK1445 |
Belarus: Energy Round-up [...] Summary: Post provides a number of energy topics of interest that were not otherwise reported. Natural gas issues will be reported separately. Included are: --Belarus Buys Russian Electricity, Not Ukrainian --Belarus Offers to Process, Rather than Ship, Kazakh Crude --GOB Wants More Russia [...] |
2005-12-01 10:11:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG EPET ECON ETRD BO |
| 05MINSK1452 |
MOTOVELO WORKERS GO ON STRIKE [...] (C) Summary: Workers at a Minsk motorcycle plant went on strike on November 25 demanding the factory pay their October wages. After blocking a large highway for one and a half hours, the factory administration finally agreed to pay the wages by November 30. While on a regional trip, an angry [...] |
2005-12-02 12:28:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | ELAB PHUM PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK1458 |
Belarus: Libertad Act [...] Summary: The GOB strongly supports the Castro government, publicly opposes the U.S. embargo on Cuba, has no interest in promoting democracy, the protection of human rights or free market reform, and is building economic ties with Cuba. Minsk and Havana in fact became sister cities in November. [...] |
2005-12-02 14:32:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | ETRD ETTC PREL BO CU |
| 05MINSK1462 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - December 02, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ------------ Human Rights ------------ 2. Stricter Laws on Discrediting Belarus On December 25, the lower house of PQliament overwhelmingly approved the first reading of amendments to Belarus' cr [...] |
2005-12-05 11:08:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1464 |
LUKASHENKO STANDS ON HIS SOAPBOX FOR RUSSIAN [...] Summary: President Lukashenko spoke at a November 23 press conference with approximately 100 visiting Russian reporters from provincial media outlets. With his characteristically bizarre statements, Lukashenko criticized the Russians for stalling the creation of the union state, not helping B [...] |
2005-12-05 15:42:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1485 |
GOB Seeks Meeting with U.S. Delegation During WTO [...] Following up on Ambassador's November 21 meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Mikhnevich (reftel), the MFA on December 8 delivered a letter to Ambassador requesting the Embassy's assistance in arranging a meeting with a senior member of the U.S. delegation at the December 13-18 WTO M [...] |
2005-12-09 13:47:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PINR ECON BO CH |
| 05MINSK1487 |
INCSR Part I from Belarus [...] I. Summary. Belarus continues to grow in importance as a transit country for drugs. Local drug use and drug-related crime rates continue to increase. Belarus does not produce drugs for export, though it may be a source of precursor chemicals. With the help of other nations and organizations, B [...] |
2005-12-09 14:10:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 05MINSK1488 |
DAS Kramer Meets with Civil Society Leaders [...] (C) Summary: On December 6, EUR Deputy Assistant Secretary David Kramer met with civil society leaders who SIPDIS called for increased support to independent media, including radio broadcasts and, above all, print media. The amendments to the criminal code (approvedbyboth hmbers of Prliamen [...] |
2005-12-09 14:19:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK1494 |
Future of Minsk Forum in Doubt [...] (C) The German Embassy in Minsk hosted the eighth annual Minsk Forum November 24-26. This forum is meant to bring together Belarusian and German policy leaders and NGOs to discuss politics, economics and social issues. This year seven Bundestag members attended, as well as several German and [...] |
2005-12-13 13:52:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK1495 |
EUR DAS Kramer Discusses Campaign Strategy with [...] (C) Summary: On December 6, EUR DAS David Kramer met with single opposition candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich's campaign team. Milinkevich was out in the regions on his campaign trips. Campaign manager Sergey Kalyakin and his deputies described the negative effects the government- supported i [...] |
2005-12-13 13:58:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PINR BO |
| 05MINSK1498 |
Russian Embassy Explains Slow Russia-Belarus Integration [...] Summary: While speaking to investment forum participants in Mogilev on November 17 (reftel), Trade Counselor of the Russian Embassy in Minsk Evgeniy Novozhilov explained why he believed economic integration of Belarus and Russia, as envisaged in the union state, has been slow. He blamed Belaru [...] |
2005-12-14 13:07:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1499 |
Lukashenko to Rule Economy [...] (U) Summary: In recent months President Lukashenko has issued several presidential decrees that put vast powers over the economy into his hands. Most egregiously, Decree 520 specifically gives Lukashenko expansive authorities, and baldly states that any legislation that contradicts the decree [...] |
2005-12-14 13:07:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EINV WTRO PGOV USTR BO |
| 05MINSK1507 |
Presidential Elections To Take Place In March 2006 [...] (C) Summary: On December 16, the Belarusian Parliament in a suddenly announced extraordinary session unanimously approved March 19, 2006, as the date for holding presidential elections. Rumors about holding the elections in March started to circulate in November, although Belarusian election o [...] |
2005-12-16 15:45:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1518 |
Belarus: MTCR Info Passed [...] No summary [...] |
2005-12-20 13:40:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | MTCRE PARM PREL MNUC ETTC KSCA TSPA BO |
| 05MINSK1524 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - December 20, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. --------- Elections --------- 2. "Ambassador's Residence is Opposition's Meetinghouse" - State TV On December 17, Post held its annual children's holiday party for U.S. Embassy staff at Ambassad [...] |
2005-12-21 10:53:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1525 |
WORLD BANK IN BELARUS: FUTURE ENGAGEMENT RESTS ON [...] SUMMARY: Increasing GOB impediments to the provision of foreign assistance and further resistance to outside advice call into question the future of World Bank operations in Belarus. The Bank is pinning its hopes on realization of a proposed $50 million project in energy conservation and gas [...] |
2005-12-22 07:38:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN EAID ENRG SENV UNDP BO |
| 05MINSK1527 |
Partnership Prepared to Observe Elections [...] (C) Summary: On December 20, 2005, Poloffs met with civil initiative Partnership deputy director Enira Bronitskaya to inquire about the possibility of Partnership monitoring the March 2006 presidential elections. Partnership plans to observe the electoral process, including the signature verif [...] |
2005-12-22 12:24:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1528 |
World Bank Rep Skeptical of Belarus' Continued [...] (C) Summary: World Bank Permanent Representative Vladimir Voronin discussed with DCM and Pol/Econ Chief the general state of the Belarusian economy, stressing the opportunity for Belarus to make badly needed economic reforms is now. Referring to the World Bank's recently published economic a [...] |
2005-12-22 12:25:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK1547 |
Women's Issues Working Group Launches Networking [...] This is an action request. See para 5. 2. On November 30, DCM hosted a reception for twenty Belarusian women leaders from all spheres in society Q political, civil, and business - to provide prominent and active women from all regions in Belarus with an opportunity to network and share i [...] |
2005-12-29 07:47:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM KWMN SCUL BO |
| 05MINSK1549 |
Russia Gives the Gift of Cheap Gas [...] Summary: At a time when Gazprom is abrogating its supply contracts with other countries and raising gas prices for the recently democratic (Ukraine, Georgia), Belarus remains on the Gazprom gravy train for another year. On December 27, Gazprom and Beltransgaz (Belarus' domestic gas monopoly) s [...] |
2005-12-29 07:49:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG EPET ECON ETRD PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK1555 |
Presidential Hopefuls Begin Signature Collection [...] (C) Summary: The Central Electoral Committee (CEC) on December 27 registered all eight candidates for the March presidential elections and their "groups of support." The potential candidates include President Lukashenko, pro- Lukashenko MP Sergey Gaidukevich, 10+ coalition candidate Aleksand [...] |
2005-12-29 13:59:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1556 |
Even Bureaucrats Want Change: Elite Poll Shows [...] (C) Summary: Head of the IISEPS polling service Oleg Manaev (protect) delivered his recent survey results to Ambassador on December 21. The two groups surveyed - thirty business leaders and thirty senior government officials Q responded similarly on most questions about the upcoming presiden [...] |
2005-12-29 13:59:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 05MINSK1558 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - December 28, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk. ------------ Human Rights ------------ No Protection from Triple Jeopardy in Belarus 2. On December 20, the Supreme Economic Court (SEC) overturned its own previous ruling and decided that the Belarusian Helsinki [...] |
2005-12-30 09:29:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK1561 |
Minsk Election Weekly II (December 24-30) [...] This is the second in a weekly series of election-oriented reports, providing brief items of interest related to the March 19, 2006 presidential elections. -------------- The Candidates -------------- All Eight Potential Candidates Registered, Now it Gets Hard 2. The Central Election [...] |
2005-12-30 10:53:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 05MINSK757 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - July 6, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ---------------------- Political Developments ---------------------- 2. Restricted Political Parties On June 29, the Belarusian Parliament amended a law further restricting political parties by [...] |
2005-07-13 05:17:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK759 |
RIOT POLICE PUNCHES WIDOW OF MISSING REPORTER [...] (U) Summary: On July 7, Svetlana Zavadskaya, widow of missing Russian cameraman Dmitry Zavadsky, and other supporters demonstrated on October Square to mark the fifth anniversary of Zavadsky's disappearance. Soon after the demonstration began, OMON riot police attempted to push the crowd off [...] |
2005-07-13 07:37:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 05MINSK760 |
New SD Leader Meets Ambassador, Tries to Sell [...] (C) Summary: On July 7, new social democrat leader Aleksandr Kozulin called on Ambassador Krol to give his view of the political opposition in Belarus. Kozulin spent most of the meeting slamming the rest of the opposition for their waste of foreign monies and inability to build their parties. [...] |
2005-07-13 07:40:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR BO |
| 05MINSK780 |
INTERNATIONAL CHERNOBYL REHABILITATION PROGRAM: [...] No summary [...] |
2005-07-15 05:47:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID AORC SENV UNDP BO |
| 05MINSK790 |
Lukashenko Tightens Control over Donations [...] Summary: On July 1 President Lukashenko issued edict 300, "On the Provision and Use of Donations." The document puts legal bounds on who can provide and receive donations in Belarus and for what purposes. It further restricts the provision of material support to any opposition political and pu [...] |
2005-07-19 13:34:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM KDEM BO |
| 05MINSK792 |
Roma Update: Belarus [...] Summary: On July 5, the DCM met with Belarusian Roma leader Oleg Kozlovskiy. Kozlovskiy requested a meeting with the Embassy in order to share recent developments within the Roma community, while also reiterating continued concerns and problems. Belarusian authorities generally ignore the Ro [...] |
2005-07-19 14:15:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK793 |
Lukashenko Has No Friends Or Money [...] Summary: Famous Russian journalist Oleg Poptsov recently interviewed President Lukashenko on the Russian TV channel "Tsentr". Poptsov, previously known for his pro-democratic stance, surprisingly agreed with Lukashenko on most topics and portrayed Lukashenko as an honorable president. Lukas [...] |
2005-07-20 08:49:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK794 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - July 13, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ---------------------- Political Developments ---------------------- Â [...] |
2005-07-20 08:51:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK810 |
Polling Shows Street Name Fury [...] Summary: According to the NOVAK opinion polling for June, 42.3 percent of Belarusians would vote for President Aleksandr Lukashenko, down 0.1 percent since April. The opposition candidate posing the greatest threat to Lukashenko, UCP leader Anatoli Lebedko, would receive 1.0 percent of the v [...] |
2005-07-22 10:31:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 05MINSK825 |
NGO SAFETY NET SEVERED [...] Summary: On July 1, President Lukashenko signed edict 302, which significantly tightens the creation and limits the activities of funds, i.e. non-profit organizations without membership established for the advancement of social, cultural, educational and other purposes. Before the edict was sig [...] |
2005-07-26 08:17:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM KDEM BO |
| 05MINSK826 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - July 20, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ---------------------- Political Developments ---------------------- 2. Students to Serve State On July 19, the Gomel Regional Soviet adopted a 2005- 2007 program to engage youths in ideology, [...] |
2005-07-26 08:17:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK838 |
QELECTION FRAUD, OPPRESSION, AND JOB LOSS IN MOLODECHNO [...] No summary [...] |
2005-07-26 13:35:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK851 |
THE BANKING SECTOR, BELARUSIAN STYLE [...] Summary: The banking system in Belarus is characterized by its underdevelopment, lack of foreign competition, and constant government interference. The Belarusian economy still relies primarily on cash as a settlement instrument. Cash outside the banking sector is the preferred method of paym [...] |
2005-07-28 14:18:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EINV KCOR BTIU PGOV AFIN BO |
| 05MINSK859 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - July 27, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ---------------------- Political Developments ---------------------- 2. No Election Observation On July 21, Secretary of the Central Elections Commission Nikolai Lozovik stated the Belarus does [...] |
2005-07-29 12:58:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK870 |
Farming In Belarus Still A Risky Business [...] (C) Summary: Poloff visited a "privatized" collective farm on July 7 to assess the progress made since the previous visit in July 2004. Financial loss, alcoholism, theft, laziness, and government interference remain big problems. The infrastructure has improved little while more money needs [...] |
2005-08-01 10:28:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR ECON PGOV PHUM BO |
| 05MINSK904 |
Russia's Missing Ambassador and the Sorry State of [...] (C) Summary: Russia's newly appointed Ambassador to Belarus, and former Saratov governor, Dmitriy Ayatskov's arrival to assume his post has been delayed "indefinitely." Minsk has linked this delay to indelicate remarks Ayatskov made critical of Lukashenko, although the Russian MFA claims he re [...] |
2005-08-04 13:06:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR BO |
| 05MINSK922 |
Belarus IPR Update [...] (SBU) Summary: A Belarusian state agency "protects" musicians' copyrights by collecting royalties on their behalf from all Belarusian restaurants, radio stations, clubs and bars. This agency recently muscled in on the local cable TV market, with the effect of stopping payments to many foreign [...] |
2005-08-05 13:18:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ETRD KIPR BO |
| 05MINSK923 |
The "Best" Harvest Ever [...] (SBU) Summary: The 2005 harvest campaign is in full swing in Belarus and, like in years past, Lukashenko expects an unattainable yield. During his annual conference on the "battle for the harvest", Lukashenko rattled off his demands and listened to exceptional progress reports from nervous a [...] |
2005-08-05 13:22:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR PGOV ECON BO |
| 05MINSK939 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - August 03, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ------------ Human Rights ------------ 2. Statkevich Begins Sentence On July 29, opposition politician Nikolai Statkevich arrived in Baranovichi to serve his two-year restricted freedom sentence [...] |
2005-08-12 05:23:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK941 |
BANDAZHEVSKY RELEASED [...] Summary: Chernobyl researcher and doctor of radiology Yuri Bandazhevsky was released on August 5 after serving six years of chimia (supervised labor in a rural area), but he will remain on probation for another five months. Many viewed Bandazhevsky's trial and eight- year sentence for briber [...] |
2005-08-12 06:42:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 05MINSK951 |
President Signs TIP Edict [...] Summary: On August 8 President Lukashenko signed the edict `On Preventing the Effects of TIP', which defines the status of trafficking victims and mandates measures to provide protection and medical care and to guarantee social security to these victims. The edict is another important step by [...] |
2005-08-16 07:19:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | KCRM KWMN PHUM PGOV BO |
| 05MINSK956 |
Minsk's Deepening Relations with China [...] (U) Summary: Belarus' relationship with China continues to strengthen. China has invested and plans to invest millions of dollars in Belarusian companies while Belarus is contemplating opening a bank in China. Both countries have exchanged military delegations and have signed military accord [...] |
2005-08-16 12:58:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PINR BO CH |
| 05MINSK984 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - August 17, 2005 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk over the past week. ---------------------- Political Developments ---------------------- 2. Kyoto Protocol On August 15, Belarus joined the Kyoto Protocol. At the upcoming November meeting of participating countrie [...] |
2005-08-22 10:13:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 05MINSK992 |
Few Protest German Radio Plans [...] (SBU) Summary: Deutsche Welle recently won a bid to broadcast 30 minutes of radio news to Belarus daily. However, their announcement proved controversial because DW plans to broadcast in the Russian language. Belarus' nationalist opposition protested loudly in local and international press, b [...] |
2005-08-23 12:56:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV SOCI BO |
| 06LINSK1234 |
LUKASHENKO'S NEW FOREIGN POLICY: A METHOD TO THE [...] No summary [...] |
2006-12-01 14:03:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON CH VE AJ IR BO |
| 06MILSK1226 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - NOVEMBER 24, [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-29 11:47:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON BO |
| 06MINSI225 |
ELECTINN OFFICIAL TELLS EUR DAR KRAMER ELECTIONSQ [...] (C) Sumaary: VisiWKkQEUR DAS David Kramer met with Central Election Commissikn (CDC) Secretary Nikolai Lozovik on February 24. Lozovik stressed that Bdlarus, election process is democratic and expressed anger at the OSCE and U.S. for saying otherwise. He also criti`ized the oppoSitiof for co [...] |
2006-03-02 13:08:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL |
| 06MINSK10 |
Belarus' Flailing White Elephants [...] (SBU) Summary: In recent months Ambassador and Emboffs have visited several of Belarus' larger businesses, including its fourth largest company, the Minsk Automobile Factory (MAZ), its fifth largest company, the Belarus Automobile Factory (BelAZ), and Belshina, one of the world's largest tire [...] |
2006-01-05 14:06:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EIND ETRD ELAB PGOV BO |
| 06MINSK1002 |
GOB DENIES ACCESS TO KOZULIN, ANONYMOUS LETTER [...] (C) On September 8, the Embassy received a diplomatic note from the MFA in response to the Embassy's August 10 request for access to former opposition presidential candidate Aleksandr Kozulin in prison. Charge had traveled to the prison to seek access to Kozulin August 30, but was told that t [...] |
2006-09-13 11:52:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK1013 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - SEPTEMBER 18, [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ----------------------- - Chinese Defense Minister Meets with Lukashenko in Minsk (para. 2) - Lukashenko Arrives in Havana for NAM Summit (para. 3) CIVIL SOCIETY --------- [...] |
2006-09-18 08:36:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON EPET ENRG KTDB BO |
| 06MINSK1018 |
DAY OF SOLIDARITY EVENT CUT SHORT BY POWER FAILURE [...] (C) Summary: On September 16, youth opposition activists staged a demonstration and concert on the one-year anniversary of the first "Days of Solidarity" event. Despite significant security presence and attempts by the GOB to impede the rally, the demonstration in Minsk attracted approximat [...] |
2006-09-18 12:58:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREF ASEC BO |
| 06MINSK1019 |
UNION STATE STAGNATES ALONG WITH GAS NEGOTIATIONS [...] (C) Summary. Despite public statements to the contrary, and without knowing the content of the "Constitutional Act," Russia and Belarus still appear far from completing an agreement on a Union State. Before seriously negotiating on the Union State the two still must resolve issues that re-em [...] |
2006-09-18 12:58:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ECON PREL ENRG ETRD PGOV PINR BO |
| 06MINSK1031 |
TIP Film Screening Prompts Discussion of GOB's Anti-TIP [...] (U) Summary: Pol/Econ Chief recently hosted a film screening of a U.S.-produced investigative documentary on victims of trafficking in persons (TIP) for independent journalists and leading members of the NGO community. The participants praised the film for its poignant presentation of the gl [...] |
2006-09-20 12:00:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1036 |
BORISOV OPPOSITION FACES SEVERE REPRESSION AHEAD [...] (C) Poloffs recently traveled to Borisov to gauge local preparedness and the degree of cooperation of democratic forces ahead of the January 14 municipal elections. Despite blatant surveillance and frequent interruptions by GOB representatives and state media, Borisov's opposition political p [...] |
2006-09-21 11:15:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM ASEC BO |
| 06MINSK1050 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - SEPTEMBER 26, [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ----------------------- - Date Announced for CIS October Summit in Minsk (para. 2) - Belarus' Foreign Minister to Address UNGA (para. 3) - Foreign Ministries of Belarus, Iran [...] |
2006-09-27 03:33:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON EPET ENRG KTDB BO |
| 06MINSK1055 |
HRDF POLLING CONTINUES, NEW DISTRIBUTOR SUCCESSFUL [...] (C) This is the third report on implementation of a DRL grant to provide independent opinion polling in Belarus. Under the auspices of a DRL Human Rights and Democracy Fund (HRDF) small grant (ref A), the IISEPS polling service conducted the fifth of six opinion polls August 15-25 (see septel [...] |
2006-09-27 13:47:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM BO |
| 06MINSK1056 |
REGIME TIGHTENING ELECTORAL CODE ON EVE OF LOCAL [...] (C) The Belarusian Parliament will review a bill of 60 amendments to the Electoral Code in early October, which if passed, could have a noticeable impact on the process leading up to municipal elections in January 2007. Most of the changes will not be publicized until after signed into law by [...] |
2006-09-27 13:47:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV PREF BO |
| 06MINSK106 |
WOMEN,S POLITICAL WILL IS STRONG BUT UNDERUTILIZED [...] (C) Summary: On January 17, DCM met with Belarusian Organization of Working Women (BOWW) representative to discuss the political mood of women on the eve of the presidential elections, BOWW's strategy to support the opposition candidates and the organization's future projects for the post-elec [...] |
2006-02-03 07:06:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KWMN SCUL BO |
| 06MINSK1060 |
THE HARD LIFE AND TIMES OF BELARUSIAN THINK TANKS [...] (C) Leaders of the most prominent independent analytical centers in Belarus recently detailed how a continuing campaign of repression by the Lukashenko regime has caused many of their organizations to formally disband. Despite the pressure, think tank leaders continue working to try to inform [...] |
2006-09-28 10:59:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK1061 |
OPPOSITION COALITION SPLITTING AT THE SEAMS [...] (C) On September 25, several key parties within the United Democratic Forces (UDF) announced the formation of an independent &executive body8 to coordinate plans for the January 2007 municipal elections. In response to this latest development, UDF leader Aleksandr Milinkevich has stated in u [...] |
2006-09-28 15:03:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK1062 |
OPPOSITION LEADERS ADMIT DIFFERENCES OF OPINION, [...] (C) Charge met separately September 29 at the Embassy with Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) leaders Vintsuk Vyachorka and Anatoliy Lebedko to discuss the state of the united opposition (ref A). Both Vyachorka and Lebedko stated that while as before there were differences of opinion, the coal [...] |
2006-09-29 09:37:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1074 |
BELARUSIAN YOUTH ACTIVELY WORKING, JUST NOT [...] (C) Summary: Belarusian youth groups have redirected their attention away from post-election stagnation to resuming activities to bring about change in Belarus. Some are actively preparing for the January 2007 local elections, while others are focusing on distributing information, providing [...] |
2006-10-03 10:25:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREF BO |
| 06MINSK1075 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - OCTOBER 03, [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ----------------------- - Lukashenko Discusses Union State Agenda with Borodin (para. 2) - China's Ambassador Calls Belarus A Friend and Partner (para. 3) CIVIL SOCIETY -- [...] |
2006-10-03 11:27:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON EPET ENRG KTDB BO |
| 06MINSK1079 |
LUKASHENKO FIELDS SOFTBALLS FROM RUSSIAN MEDIA, [...] (C) In an extensively covered lengthy press conference with selected visiting Russian journalists, President Lukashenko laid all the blame for the latest delay in Belarusian-Russian integration at the doorstep of the Kremlin. On the other hand, he claimed an affinity for Russia, told the audi [...] |
2006-10-03 13:49:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BO |
| 06MINSK108 |
Minsk Election Weekly VII (January 28-February 3) [...] This is the seventh in a weekly series of election-oriented reports, providing brief items of interest related to the March 19, 2006 presidential elections. ----------------- Signature Results ----------------- 2. After a month of signature collection, the CEC announced the following [...] |
2006-02-03 09:14:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1081 |
BELARUS TRADE AGREEMENT COMPLIANCE AND MONITORING [...] Responses keyed to paragraph 11 of reftel: A. Only one trade agency, State, is represented at Post. B. Contact person: Nathan Lane, Deputy Political/Economic Section Chief lanenp@state.gov tel. (375-17) 210-1283 ext. 4434 fax (375-17) 234-78-53 Backup Dmitriy Semenov, Political/Ec [...] |
2006-10-04 12:10:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ETRD BO |
| 06MINSK1084 |
NEW EU INTEREST IN VISA BANS ON STATE MEDIA [...] (C) Embassy Minsk recommends that the Department renew its efforts to persuade European allies to expand the current EU visa ban against top officials of the Lukashenko regime to include twelve state media executives and journalists, who are responsible for some of the most egregious propaganda [...] |
2006-10-05 09:55:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1088 |
DEMARCHE ON NORTH KOREAN TEST DELIVERED [...] No summary [...] |
2006-10-06 04:45:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PARM KNNP KN BO |
| 06MINSK1099 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - OCTOBER 06, [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk. TABLE OF CONTENTS ELECTIONS --------- - Milinkevich as Campaign Aide for Local Candidates (para. 2) CIVIL SOCIETY ------------- - Opposition Activist Jailed for 2005 Bombings in Vitebsk (para. 3) - Opposition, [...] |
2006-10-06 12:20:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON KTDB KHIV BO |
| 06MINSK11 |
Minsk Election Weekly III (December 31 - January 6) [...] This is the third in a weekly series of election-oriented reports, providing brief items of interest related to the March 19, 2006 presidential elections. ------------- The Campaigns ------------- 2. Expelled BSU Students Not For Kozulin Independent online news source Charter 97 post [...] |
2006-01-05 14:06:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1100 |
DEMARCHE ON NORTH KOREAN TEST DELIVERED [...] No summary [...] |
2006-10-11 04:06:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PARM KNNP KN BO |
| 06MINSK1102 |
AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON FOREIGN [...] (C) The Ambassador met October 9 with Belarusian Foreign Minister Martynov to present him with copies of the letter of recall for her predecessor and her letters of credence. Martynov welcomed the Ambassador, and made his usual comments about the nature of the relationship Belarus wants to hav [...] |
2006-10-11 13:53:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK1109 |
AMBASSADOR REINFORCES UNITY MESSAGE TO OPPOSITION [...] (C) On October 11, Ambassador met with three senior leaders of the United Democratic Forces (UDF) opposition coalition: Belarusian Party of Communists leader Sergey Kalyakin, United Civic Party leader Anatoliy Lebedko, and Belarusian Popular Front Vintsuk Vyachorka. UDF leader Aleksandr Mil [...] |
2006-10-13 14:21:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1110 |
REGIME FINGERS OPPOSITION ACTIVIST FOR 2005 [...] (C) On October 5, Belarusian law enforcement authorities arrested prominent youth opposition leader Pavel Krasovskiy on suspected involvement in two bombings in 2005 that injured approximately 50 people in northeastern Belarus. If formally charged and found guilty, Krasovskiy could face the de [...] |
2006-10-13 14:29:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1116 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - OCTOBER 16, [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk. TABLE OF CONTENTS ELECTIONS --------- - Opposition Parties Agree on Campaign Cooperation (para. 2) - Authorities Approves Election Deadlines, Restrict Media (para. 3) CIVIL SOCIETY ------------- - Lower Chamber [...] |
2006-10-17 03:14:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON KTDB EPET BO |
| 06MINSK1117 |
INDEPENDENT POLLING: MILINKEVICH SUPPORT RATINGS DECLINE [...] Summary: Independent Belarusian pollster Manaev September 25 gave Poloff results of his fifth post election survey conducted in August. Opposition coalition presidential candidate Milinkevich's support rating dropped 8.8 points since March to 11.6%, whereas President Lukashenko's support rati [...] |
2006-10-17 04:57:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PINR SOCI ECON BO |
| 06MINSK1119 |
BELARUSIAN RELGIOUS LEADERS SHARE THEIR CONCERNS [...] (SBU) As her first official event at her residence, Ambassador hosted a breakfast for leaders of various religious communities in Minsk and visiting EUR/UMB deskoff. While the representative of the GOB-sympathetic Catholic Church was hesitant to air his concerns openly, the Protestant and Hare [...] |
2006-10-18 06:10:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREF BO |
| 06MINSK1123 |
"16" NOT SO SWEET: DAYS OF SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN [...] (C) September 16, 2006 marked the first anniversary of the "Days of Solidarity" opposition campaign in Belarus. Planned as a series of monthly candle-lighting ceremonies on the 16th of each month honoring the memories of disappeared opponents of the Lukashenko regime, the campaign evolved into [...] |
2006-10-18 11:44:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1136 |
OPPOSITION YOUTH LEADER RECONSIDERS HIS ACTIVITIES [...] (C) Authorities conditionally released youth opposition activist Pavel Krasovskiy from police custody on October 15, following 10 days of questioning in connection with two 2005 Vitebsk bombings and a 1999 murder and rape case. After strong words of support from Ambassador, Krasovskiy admitte [...] |
2006-10-20 13:36:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREF BO |
| 06MINSK1141 |
MILINKEVICH PROMOTES HIS OWN MOVEMENT IN MEETING [...] (C) On October 20, Ambassador met with opposition coalition leader Milinkevich to discuss the status of the United Democratic Forces (UDF). Milinkevich stressed that the coalition was generally united despite internal disagreements on strategy, a second coalition congress, and UDF leadership. [...] |
2006-10-24 13:13:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1142 |
HOSIERY, HYPERMARKETS AND HOT RODS; ECONOMIC [...] (C) The first-time visitor to Minsk will quickly notice pockets of conspicuous consumption belying tour book descriptions of Belarus as a museum of all things Soviet. On the road from the airport one will pass new multi-story dachas, a Porsche dealership and a billboard advertising designer l [...] |
2006-10-24 13:16:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV BO |
| 06MINSK1143 |
PROTESTANTS PREPARED TO "FIGHT UNTIL THE END" TO [...] (SBU) On October 21, approximately 600 people gathered in Minsk to protest the GOB's confiscation of the New Life Church's (NLC) property. Amidst heavy security presence, NLC Senior Pastor Vyacheslav Goncharenko called on the people to defend their right to freedom of religion. On October 17 [...] |
2006-10-24 14:10:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV KIRF BO |
| 06MINSK1144 |
TWO YEARS IN PRISON FOR INSULTING LUKASHENKO [...] (SBU) In a politically motivated trial observed by Poloff, a Minsk court sentenced a 60-year-old human rights activist Yekaterina Sadovskaya to two years in prison for allegedly insulting President Lukashenko by demanding he be subjected to a mental examination. The court also fined her USD [...] |
2006-10-25 04:50:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREF BO |
| 06MINSK1149 |
LOCAL ELECTION PROCESS DOES NOT LOOK PROMISING FOR [...] (SBU) The Belarusian Central Election Committee (CEC) approved a calendar of the process for the January 14, 2007 local council elections, listing the dates territorial election commissions are to be formed, the time period for nominees to gather signatures( and the date marking the beginning [...] |
2006-10-27 05:20:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1157 |
COALITION LEADERS SETTLE ON HOLDING SECOND [...] (C) The United Democratic Forces (UDF) Political Council recently agreed to convene a second congress of democratic forces on March 25, 2007. The dec)sion was included in th% Political CounciX's approved "Agreement on the UDF Political Campaign" that also called for the creation of a Political [...] |
2006-10-31 05:31:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1159 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - OCTOBER 31, [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk. TABLE OF CONTENTS CIVIL SOCIETY ------------- - Milinkevich Wins European Parliament's Sakharov Award (para. 2) - Skrebets Will Be Released in November (para. 3) - Activist Arrested Near Presidential Administration ( [...] |
2006-10-31 10:15:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON KTDB EPET BO |
| 06MINSK1162 |
U.S.-EU AMBASSADORS PRESS FOR ACCESS TO OPPOSITION [...] (SBU) On October 30, Ambassador and EU Heads of Mission in Minsk continued their assertive and collaborative approach to spotlighting the Lukashenko regime's politically motivated imprisonments by coordinating their attempts to gain access to the criminal trial against Dmitriy Dashkevich, the [...] |
2006-11-01 03:16:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1163 |
PSI LETTER DELIVERED [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-01 05:02:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PARM KNNP KN BOQ |
| 06MINSK1164 |
SATISFYING THE MARKET IN A STATE-DOMINATED ECONOMY [...] (C) Profitable Belarusian businesses, even if they are completely privately owned, must respond in large part to the dictates of the state. This is especially true when private companies try to compete in the same markets with state-owned enterprises. The complex business environment, which e [...] |
2006-11-01 09:47:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV BO |
| 06MINSK1166 |
OPPOSITION YOUTH LEADER RECEIVES 18 MONTHS [...] (SBU) On November 1, Judge Alla Bulash convicted Dmitriy Dashkevich, the leader of the opposition youth organization Malady Front, for allegedly operating an unregistered organization (reftel). In a courtroom opened to Dashkevich's father, international observers and a small number of indepe [...] |
2006-11-01 14:31:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK117 |
MFA Wants Positive WTO Answer Now [...] (U) On February 2, Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Mikhnevich called Ambassador to the MFA to complain again about the U.S., EU and the WTO. Also present were Anton Kudasov, Deputy Director of the MFA's Directorate of Foreign Trade, Sergey Gulevich, Deputy Head of the MFA's Division of Forei [...] |
2006-02-06 10:56:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETRD WTRO PGOV USTR BO |
| 06MINSK1174 |
U.S.-EU AMBASSADORQ SHOW SUPPORT FOR CHURCH UNDER [...] (C) Summary: Ambassador and EU Heads of Mission recently visited the embattled New Life Church (NLC) to show their support for religious freedom in Belarus. The NLC ended its 23-day hunger strike on October 29 after the Supreme Economic Court agreed to review the church's appeal of the forced [...] |
2006-11-03 14:04:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREF PHUM KIRF BO |
| 06MINSK1179 |
GOB'S EGO OUTSTRIPS ACTIONS IN ANTI-TIP EFFORTS [...] (C) The GOB and the International Organization for Migration recently co-hosted an international conference that sought to bolster cooperation between source and destination countries in the battle against trafficking in persons (TIP). At the conference, GOB officials stressed the importance [...] |
2006-11-09 05:43:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREF PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK1184 |
LUKASHENKO AND RUSSIA: A TALE OF UNREQUITED LOVE? [...] (C) Lukashenko and Putin likely will achieve little during a possible November 10 meeting in Moscow. Both countries continue to play hardball with one another in energy negotiations, which are expected to drag on until the end of the year. Belarus will eventually have to settle for increased [...] |
2006-11-09 12:39:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ECON PGOV BO |
| 06MINSK1187 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - NOVEMBER 9, [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk. This edition includes events thru the November 6- 7 Revolution Day holiday. The next edition will cover items thru November 17. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ----------------------- - U.S. and EU Ambassa [...] |
2006-11-09 13:51:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON KTDB EPET BO |
| 06MINSK1188 |
BELARUS NOT DOING WHAT IS NEEDED TO PREVENT GSP [...] (C) On October 12, the European Commission (EC) postponed its decision to suspend the General System of Preferences (GSP) for Belarus, giving Belarus more time to implement the International Labor Organization's (ILO) 12 recommendations to improve labor rights (ref A). According to some estim [...] |
2006-11-13 09:48:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | ELAB PGOV ECON PREL PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK1192 |
REGIONAL ACTIVISTS CONFIRM: BELARUSIANS ARE [...] (C) Pol/Econ Chief and Emboffs recently traveled to Polotsk and Baranovichi in introductory visits with local authorities, opposition activists, and entrepreneurs. Opposition activists and journalists in both communities openly described the repression they face, but continue to cooperate toge [...] |
2006-11-14 07:42:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1204 |
HUNGER-STRIKING KOZULIN DENIED FAMILY CONTACT [...] (C) At a recent opposition Belarusian Social Democratic Party "Gramada" (BSDP) press conference held in support of imprisoned BSDP chair and former presidential candidate Aleksandr Kozulin, Kozulin's wife discussed how authorities repeatedly denied her husband family contact and legal counsel [...] |
2006-11-17 15:57:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK1207 |
AMBASSADOR VISITS VANDALIZED HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL [...] (C) Ambassador visited Minsk's Yama Holocaust Memorial and two other related sites on November 15. The Yama site had been vandalized on November 11, when unknown persons drew a swastika on the memorial's main monument, splashed white paint on bronze statues, and left leaflets signed by the "B [...] |
2006-11-20 13:45:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREF KIRF BO |
| 06MINSK121 |
P5+2 Statement on Iran [...] On February 6, Econoff delivered ref A points and statement to Igor Ugorich of the MFA's Department of International Security and Arms Control. Ugorich received the information without comment. Econoff stressed that, given recent statements of intent for Belarus and Iran to cooperate on nuclea [...] |
2006-02-07 06:58:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PARM KNNP PREL IR BO |
| 06MINSK1212 |
BELARUSIAN ECONOMIC FUTURE IN DOUBT [...] (C) Belarus' current trend of robust GDP growth faces numerous challenges. The so-called economic miracle rests largely on Russian subsidies, with the government failing to harness the windfall to prepare for its seemingly inevitable end. Russia's preparations to join the WTO threatEn toQ ha [...] |
2006-11-24 06:15:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV BO |
| 06MINSK1213 |
HUNGER-STRIKING KOZULIN DENIED FAMILY CONTACT [...] (C) At a recent opposition Belarusian Social Democratic Party "Gramada" (BSDP) press conference held in support of imprisoned BSDP chair and former presidential candidate Aleksandr Kozulin, Kozulin's wife discussed how authorities repeatedly denied her husband family contact and legal counsel [...] |
2006-11-24 10:23:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK1215 |
DELIVERED JCIC-DIP-06-11, 12, AND 13 [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-24 12:06:00 | Embassy Minsk | SECRET | KACT PARM UP US START JCIC BO |
| 06MINSK1220 |
MINSK FORUM: BITING THE HAND THAT PATS YOUR BACK? [...] (C) November 9-11 witnessed the Minsk Fgrum, an annual German-sponsored conference designed to be a platform for open dialogue. The GOB's denial of visas to at least eight would-be attendees overshadowed the substance of the conference. The row highlights the hazards of attempting even seemi [...] |
2006-11-24 14:31:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1221 |
POLITICAL PARTY DEPUTIES POINT FINGERS WHILE [...] (C) Ambassador on November 17 met with deputy leaders of pro-democratic political parties to gauge the unity within the coalition and the progress in the local council elections. The deputy leaders reported a small victory in receiving registration for most of their initiative groups, althoug [...] |
2006-11-24 14:39:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1222 |
FREED MP CALLS FOR SHADOW GOVERNMENT, UNSC DEBATE [...] (C) Ambassador recently met with former opposition MP and political prisoner Sergey Skrebets following his release on amnesty. While Skrebets described the prison conditions he and fellow hunger striking political prisoner Aleksandr Kozulin faced as somewhat better than the general prison po [...] |
2006-11-24 14:43:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PFOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1225 |
INDEPENDENT POLLING REPORTS INCREASE IN INDEPENDENT RADIO [...] Independent Belarusian pollster Manaev November 21 gave Ambassador the results of his sixth and final post election survey. According to his results, both the amount of Belarusians who listen to foreign radio broadcasts and who use the internet continue to increase. Support ratings decreased s [...] |
2006-11-29 11:25:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PINR SOCI ECON BO |
| 06MINSK1226 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - NOVEMBER 24, [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk. TABLE OF CONTENTS LUKASHENKO PRESS CONFERENCE --------------------------- - Lukashenko Admits GOB Falsified Presidential Vote (para. 2) - Lukashenko Explains Reasons for "Last Dictator" (para. 3) INTERNATIONAL RELA [...] |
2006-11-29 11:47:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON BO |
| 06MINSK1227 |
HRDF POLLING ENDS, NEW DISTRIBUTOR SUCCESSFUL [...] (C) This is the fourth report on the implementation of a DRL grant to provide independent opinion polling in Belarus. Under the auspices of a DRL Human Rights and Democracy Fund (HRDF) small grant (ref A), the IISEPS polling service conducted the sixph and final opinion poll in November (see s [...] |
2006-11-29 12:39:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM BO |
| 06MINSK1231 |
RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR IN MINSK: GAS PRICE TO INCREASE [...] (C) During an introductory courtesy call, Ambassador was told by her Russian counterpart that the price of natural gas will be going up "right away" and that the Belarusian opposition was still in early stages of development. Russian Ambassador Surikov also noted that efforts continue behind [...] |
2006-11-30 13:49:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EPET PINR BO RS |
| 06MINSK1234 |
LUKASHENKO'S NEW FOREIGN POLICY: A METHOD TO THE [...] (C) Belarus' rocky relationship with Russia has forced the isolated country to pursue a different course in its foreign policy. The GOB has ratcheted up its efforts to strengthen ties with countries like Iran, Venezuela, Azerbaijan, and China over the past year. Belarus is attempting to div [...] |
2006-12-01 14:03:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON CH VE AJ IR BO |
| 06MINSK1235 |
LUKASHENKO ADMITS RIGGING ELECTIONS [...] (C) President Lukashenko admitted during a press conference with Ukrainian journalists in Minsk that he rigged the March 2006 presidential electionq. Lukashenko claimed that the GOB deliberately understated the official vote tally to satisfy European Q 9QI9M9 The dictator also criticized Ru [...] |
2006-12-01 14:04:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1241 |
LOCAL COUNCIL DEPUTIES FACING AN UPHILL BATTLE [...] (C) Pro-democratic local council deputies from the regions of Belarus claimed to have high public support within their districts but doubted it would be enough to win re-election in what they predict will be fraudulent local council elections in January. Deputies informed Ambassador that GO [...] |
2006-12-04 08:30:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1244 |
LUKASHENKO FOCUSES ON ENERGY SECURITY DURING CIS [...] (SBU) On November 28, Minsk hosted the CIS Heads of State summit. Although the agenda called for discussions on CIS reform and other issues, few agreements were reached. Lukashenko used the summit to negotiate with Russian President Putin on gas prices and the fate of Belarus' pipeline Beltra [...] |
2006-12-05 12:15:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK1245 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - December 4, 2006 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk. TABLE OF CONTENTS CIVIL SOCIETY ------------- - Milinkevich Meets Bush, Faces Two Months in Jail (para. 2) - Union of Left-wing Parties Favors Election Boycott (para. 3) - Youth Activists Attempt to Demonstrate Durin [...] |
2006-12-05 13:01:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON BO |
| 06MINSK1248 |
KOZULINA APPROACHES AMBASSADOR TO HELP END [...] (C) Ambassador recently meet with Irina Kozulina, wife of hunger striking imprisoned former opposition presidential candidate Aleksandr Kozulin. Kozulina relayed to Ambassador Kozulin's request that the U.S. raise the GOB's human rights violations at the UN Security Council. She also asked t [...] |
2006-12-05 13:06:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1252 |
LEFTIST PARTIES POISED TO BOYCOTT LOCAL ELECTIONS [...] (C) Leftist opposition parties Belarusian Party of Communists (BPC) and Belarusian Social Democratic Party (BSDP) "Gramada" intend to boycott the January 2007 local elections on the grounds that participating in a rigged process is pointless. A senior BPC member admitted to Pol/Econ Chief th [...] |
2006-12-06 13:39:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV BO |
| 06MINSK1255 |
BELARUS: LIBETDACT [...] Summary: The GO is building economic ties with Cuba, strongly spports the Cuban government, and has no interest n promoting democracy, the protection of human rigts or free market reform. End summary. Belarsian-Cuban Investment, Trade and Exchanges ------------------------------------------ [...] |
2006-12-07 12:48:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | ETRD ETTC PREL BO CU |
| 06MINSK1256 |
DELIVERED JCIC-DIP-14 [...] No summary [...] |
2006-12-07 13:15:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | KACT PARM UP US START JCIC BO |
| 06MINSK1258 |
DELIVERED RESULTS OF 2006 MTCR PLENARY [...] No summary [...] |
2006-12-08 09:26:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | MTCRE PARM PREL MNUC EITC KSCA TSPA |
| 06MINSK1259 |
STROYENERGO PROPOSAL ON OPIC CLAIM [...] (SBU) Post has no derogatory information on Stroyenergo. However, judging by some of the contracts it has received, Stroyenergo, like many large construction firms, apparently enjoys a close relationship with the Belarusian government. Given such a relationship, it is quite likely the letter fr [...] |
2006-12-08 11:27:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EINV BO |
| 06MINSK1270 |
Prison Cannot Stop Pro-Democratic Activists [...] (C) Former political prisoners and the friends and family of opposition activists currently in jail gathered December 7 at Ambassador's residence. The event marked the second occasion in recent months that the Embassy has hosted a reception for these champions of democracy. The attendees desc [...] |
2006-12-12 12:00:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1272 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - December 8, 2006 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk. TABLE OF CONTENTS ELECTIONS --------- - Nomination Stage in Local Elections Over (para. 2) - Ten Members of BPC Withdraw From Local Elections (para. 3) CIVIL SOCIETY ------------- - Milinkevich Urges G8 Leaders [...] |
2006-12-12 13:47:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON BO |
| 06MINSK1273 |
OPPOSITION UNITED ON KOZULIN, DIVIDED ON [...] (C) Through a series of demonstrations on World Human Rights Day (December 10), the Belarusian democratic forces demonstrated unity in supporting hunger striking imprisoned former opposition candidate Aleksandr Kozulin. Opposition leaders also expressed gratitude for Congress' recent passage [...] |
2006-12-13 09:04:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1276 |
OPPOSITION PARTY LEADER FENDS OFF JAIL SENTENCE [...] (C) A Minsk judge suspended indefinitely the trial of opposition party leader Anatoliy Lebedko, whom authorities had charged with "minor hooliganism" for his participation in a December 10 World Human Rights Day demonstration, for lack of credible evidence. During his spirited self-defense, [...] |
2006-12-14 09:45:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1278 |
KOZULIN ENDS HUNGER STRIKE, GRATEFUL TO USG [...] (C) On December 13, Irina Kozudina, wife of imprisoned former opposition Belarusian Social Democratic Party "Gramada" (BSDP) Chair and presidential candidate Aleksandr Kozulin, confirmed to Charge that her husband ended the hunger strike that he began on October 20 in protest of the start of [...] |
2006-12-14 11:35:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK1283 |
LUKASHENKO, UNDER RUSSIAN PRESSURE, TRIES TO SHORE [...] (C) News Russia would begin charging full export duties on oil shipments to Belarus effective January 1 caught Lukashenko off guard, necessitating a hastily planned December 15 visit to Moscow. Although the GOB has downplayed the significance of the decision, the imposition of 100 percent of [...] |
2006-12-15 14:03:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL EPET BO RS |
| 06MINSK1290 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - DECEMBER 15, 2006 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ----------------------- - Lukashenko, Putin Meet in Moscow (para. 2) - Sudanese Foreign Minister to Visit (para. 3) - Chinese Military Delegation Arrives in Minsk (para. 4) [...] |
2006-12-19 05:30:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON BO |
| 06MINSK1294 |
MFA CRITICIZES RAISING BELARUS AT UNSC, FEARS [...] (C) On December 20, Deputy Director of the MFA's Americas Department Grigoriy Lyashuk presented Ambassador Belarus' concerns regarding possible sanctions resulting from the passage of the Belarus Democracy Reauthorization Act and the United State's use of the UN Security Council to raise the i [...] |
2006-12-20 14:07:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UNSC PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK1299 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - DECEMBER 22, 2006 [...] No summary [...] |
2006-12-22 07:17:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON BO |
| 06MINSK1301 |
LETTER FROM KOZULIN'S WIFE TO USG, AMERICAN PEOPLE [...] The following is an unofficial trAnslation of a letter from Irina Kozulina, wife of Belarus' imprisonedformer opposition presidential candidate AlekSandr Kozulin. Post will send the original leTter, received December 21, via pouch to EUR/UMB. 2. Begin text: Tothe United States GoverNment [...] |
2006-12-22 10:13:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK1307 |
COURT UPHOLDS FIRING OF ELECTION MONITORING [...] (C) A Minsk court recently upheld a university's decision to fire a professor who had served as an independent election observer during Belarus' fraudulent March 2006 presidential elections. The university's case against reinstatement rested upon hearsay witnesses and threats of criminal inv [...] |
2006-12-27 13:00:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK131 |
40 DAYS TO ELECTION DAY: PROSPECTS FOR DEMOCRATIC [...] (C) Summary: With presidential elections only a month and a half away, the campaign "process" is well underway, but more in form than substance. Incumbent President Lukashenko, 10 Coalition candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich, former Belarusian State University rector Anatoly Kozulin, and pro-L [...] |
2006-02-08 09:39:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL |
| 06MINSK1314 |
GOT CAS? THE COLD WAR BETWEEJ BELARUS AND GAZPROM [...] (C) NEGOTIATIONS IN MOSCOW OVER GAS PRICES AND A RUSSIAN STAKE IN BELTRANSGAZ CONTINUE DOWN TO THE WIRE, WITH BOTH SIDES RATCHETING UP THE RHETORIC. GHILE THE EXACT TERMR AND TIMING OF A FINAL DEAL REMAIN UNCERTAIN, IT APPEARS *-QM!Q9-=WILL FINALLY CONC%DE A STAKE IN @ELTRANSG!Z IN RETURN DOR [...] |
2006-12-29 11:04:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG PGOV PREL BO RS |
| 06MINSK1315 |
MINSK EAC DISCUSSES POSSIBLE INTERRUPTION IN [...] (SBU) Charge convened post's Emergency Action Committee December 28. In attendance were A/DCM, A/POL/ECON chief, RSO, CONS, GSO, IMO, ITO, A/DCM, CLO, MSG DET Commander, USAID and A/PAO. 2. (SBU) The EAC met to discuss the continuing dispute and negotiations between Gazprom and the Gover [...] |
2006-12-29 11:15:00 | Embassy Minsk | SECRET | ASEC CASC AMGT ENRG BO |
| 06MINSK1317 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - DECEMBER 29, 2006 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT ---------------------------------- - Russian Bank Acquires Belvneshekonombank (para. 2) ELECTIONS --------- - Lebedko Denied Permission to Meet With Voters (p [...] |
2006-12-29 13:25:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON BO |
| 06MINSK132 |
PARTNERSHIP ANONYMOUSLY REPORTS FIRST ELECTION [...] (C) Summary: Despite potentially facing criminal charges for reporting any information that may discredit Belarus, civil initiative Partnership anonymously sent via email a report detailing the results of the first phase of its long-term election observation. The report, which covers January [...] |
2006-02-08 09:39:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK134 |
Demarche On UN Reform [...] No summary [...] |
2006-02-09 05:54:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | OSCE PHUM PREL SOCI BO |
| 06MINSK138 |
OPPOSITION DENIED PARTICIPATION IN ELECTION [...] (U) Summary: On December 30, the Central Election Committee announced the results of the territorial (regional and municipal) commission nomination process. Out of the 2,124 members, only one was a representative of the opposition, despite the dozens of nominations opposition parties submitt [...] |
2006-02-10 06:00:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PREL |
| 06MINSK141 |
Belarusian Athletes to Win, If They Know What Is Good For [...] (SBU) Summary: On January 24, Belarus' chief Olympic coach Aleksandr Popov announced the names of athletes who would attend the Turin Olympic Games. Athletes in the past have suffered from stress-related illnesses or left the country altogether because of government pressure to win. Aleksei A [...] |
2006-02-10 14:14:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM KDEM BO |
| 06MINSK147 |
Analyzing Belarusian Trade [...] (SBU) Summary: Trade figures for the first nine months of 2005 show a strong increase in Belarusian imports and exports, leading to a shrinking trade deficit. Russia remained by far Belarus' largest trading partner, accounting for 48% of trade. However, trade with Russia fell in both relative [...] |
2006-02-13 09:29:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ETRD PREL USTR BO |
| 06MINSK148 |
Suspicious Belarusian Trade [...] (SBU) Summary: In recent years, Minsk has actively sought to increase trade and relations with pariah states as a counterbalance to Western pressures to democratize and as evidence that Lukashenko's rule is accepted abroad. Despite these efforts, trade with these Outposts of Tyranny and State [...] |
2006-02-13 10:14:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ETRD PREL USTR BO |
| 06MINSK149 |
EMBASSY MINSK BIWEEKLY REPORT - February 10, 2006 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk. ------------ Human Rights ------------ 2. Officer Punished For Illegal Seizure On February 9, the district prosecutor in Svetlagorsk disciplined a police officer for illegally seizing equipment and print material f [...] |
2006-02-13 11:00:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 06MINSK152 |
Belarus Getting Sicker [...] (SBU) Summary: Despite Lukashenko's "Third Way Economic Miracle," the Belarusian population is now sicker, dies earlier and has fewer children than during the late Soviet period. Doctors at the CitiHope NGO recently passed to Econoff a report they drafted chronicling the systematic worsening o [...] |
2006-02-14 08:22:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | SOCI ECON TBIO ENRG MNUC SENV BO |
| 06MINSK154 |
Minsk Election Weekly VIII (February 3-February 10) [...] This is the eighth in a weekly series of election-oriented reports, providing brief items of interest related to the March 19, 2006 presidential elections. --------------------------- Signatures and Registration --------------------------- 2. Grodno Commissions Reject Milinkevich's Sig [...] |
2006-02-14 08:23:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK162 |
GOB Ready to Cooperate to Fight TIP [...] (U) In a surprisingly cooperative gesture, GOB officials willingly shared information on the GOB's efforts to combat trafficking in persons (TIP) in an informal setting on February 10. DCM invited representatives from local NGO's and international organizations as well as GOB officials from t [...] |
2006-02-15 09:26:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KCRM KWMN PHUM PGOV BO |
| 06MINSK17 |
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - January 5, 2006 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk. ------------ Human Rights ------------ 2. Independant Pollster Warned for Illegal Polling On December 30, the Prosecutor General's office issued a warning to head of the Independent Institute of Social, Economic an [...] |
2006-01-10 09:17:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 06MINSK172 |
FORMER OPPOSITION MP SKREBETS CONVICTED [...] (C) Summary: On February 14, the Supreme Court of Belarus convicted former Respublika MP Sergey Skrebets to 30 months in prison for allegedly obtaining bank loans through fraud. He was acquitted on charges of bribery and conducting illegal business activity. The nine months he spent in pre-tri [...] |
2006-02-16 14:45:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK173 |
STATE MEDIA VILIFIES AMERICA, OFTEN [...] (C) Summary: In recent months Belarusian state media has become increasingly venomous in its daily attacks against the U.S. and the West. Common themes include charges of espionage, of Western attempts to destabilize the country, and of attempts to overthrow the government in a forced "color" [...] |
2006-02-16 14:45:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BO |
| 06MINSK174 |
BELARUS AND THE ELECTIONS ACCORDING TO 2001 [...] (C) Summary: Ambassador recently met with former trade union leader and 2001 &single8 opposition presidential candidate Vladimir Goncharik to discuss the current political and economic environment in Belarus. Goncharik noted Belarus, worsening political and economic situation and Belarusians, [...] |
2006-02-16 14:48:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL |
| 06MINSK178 |
Minsk Election Weekly IX (February 11 - February 17) [...] This is the ninth in a weekly series of election-oriented reports, providing brief items of interest related to the March 19, 2006 presidential elections. Post will report on the February 17 registration of candidates process in septel. --------------------- Campaign Preparations --------- [...] |
2006-02-17 15:10:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK179 |
DEMONSTRATION PEACEFULLY DISBURSED, SOME ARRESTS [...] (C) At 1800 on February 16, opposition groups Zubr and Charter 97 organized a peaceful demonstration on October Square as part of the Day of Solidarity campaign to encourage public support for the families of the disappeared figures and for overall democratic change in Belarus. Poloffs, who o [...] |
2006-02-17 15:41:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK183 |
PARTNERSHIP NGO RELEASES SECOND ELECTION [...] (C) Summary: Despite potentially facing criminal charges for reporting any information that may discredit Belarus, election monitoring NGO Partnership anonymously sent via email its second observation report on the elections. Similar to the first report Post received (Ref A), the second report [...] |
2006-02-21 12:28:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL |
| 06MINSK184 |
State Media Focuses only on Lukashenko [...] (SBU) Summary: The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) monitored Belarusian media coverage of the March presidential elections from 28 January to 10 February. BAJ found that state media focused almost exclusively on Lukashenko, portraying him in a positive light. For the most part, st [...] |
2006-02-21 12:32:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK185 |
YOUTH GROUPS COMMITTED TO DEMOCRATIC CHANGE [...] (C) Summary: While many youth remain reluctant to wander far from President Lukashenko's camp of supporters, some Belarusian youth groups are actively participating in a number of civic initiatives and/or directly supporting opposition candidates Aleksandr Milinkevich and Aleksandr Kozulin in [...] |
2006-02-21 12:57:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK191 |
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES BEGIN THEIR CAMPAIGNS [...] (SBU) Summary: On February 17, the Central Election Committee (CEC) registered President Aleksandr Lukashenko, 10 Coalition leader Aleksandr Milinkevich, former rector of Belarusian State University Aleksandr Kozulin, and leader of the Libera Democratic Party Sergey Gaidukevich as officialpres [...] |
2006-02-22 15:14:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL |
| 06MINSK192 |
BKGB ARRESTS ELECTION OBSERVERS [...] (C) On February 21, BKGB officers arrested four pro-democracy activists, Partnership leaders Nikolay Astreyka and Enira Bronitskaya, NDI employee Aleksandr Shalaika (strictly protect), and Timofei Dranchuk, aide to imprisoned opposition member Andrei Klimov. They arrested the first, Dranchuk, [...] |
2006-02-22 15:14:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK195 |
Belarus Special 301 Review [...] Summary and recommendation: Post once again recommends placement of Belarus on the watch list for 2006. Little has changed since Post's 2005 Special 301 input (ref B). Pirated optical media remains the norm, being readily available across the country, including in state-owned stores, and enfo [...] |
2006-02-23 05:50:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | KIPR ETRD ECON BO |
| 06MINSK200 |
Minsk Election Weekly X (February 18 - February 24) [...] This is the tenth in a weekly series of election-oriented reports, providing brief items of interest related to the March 19, 2006 presidential elections. ----------------------- Candidates Get Air Time ----------------------- 2. As per the law, state television and radio scheduled ai [...] |
2006-02-24 07:13:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK205 |
BKGB SPREADING FEAR [...] (C) Summary: The BKGB continues to hold, but has not yet charged, the four activists it arrested on February 21 (ref A). Authorities have until 2100 on February 24 to decide whether to release or continue holding the group. The GOB then has two months, with the possibility of extensions, to [...] |
2006-02-24 15:33:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK208 |
EMBASSY MINSK BIWEEKLY REPORT - February 24, 2006 [...] The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy Minsk. ------------ Human Rights ------------ 2. Jailed Businessman Now a Fugitive On February 9, businessman Nikolai Avtukhovich who is facing tax evasion charges disappeared from house arrest in Grodno on the first day [...] |
2006-02-27 14:40:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 06MINSK21 |
TAIWAN CLOSES MISSION AS MINSK SUPPORTS BEIJING [...] (C) Summary: Taiwan is closing its small trade mission in Belarus, as Minsk grows ever closer to Beijing. In recent months the mission has had no access to GOB officials, but has received requests for help from some in the opposition. The mission never succeeded in its main tasks, promoting p [...] |
2006-01-11 13:49:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ECON TW BO |
| 06MINSK22 |
TAIWAN CLOSES MISSION AS MINSK SUPPORTS BEIJING [...] (C) Summary: Taiwan is closing its small trade mission in Belarus, as Minsk grows ever closer to Beijing. In recent months the mission has had no access to GOB officials, but has received requests for help from some in the opposition. The mission never succeeded in its main tasks, promoting p [...] |
2006-01-11 13:49:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ECON TW BO |
| 06MINSK222 |
DAS KRAMER V. MFA, ROUND II [...] (C) Summary: Visiting EUR DAS Kramer met on February 23 with MFA America's Desk head Maksim Ryzhenkov. The MFA at the last minute cancelled a higher-level meeting because Kramer refused to allow the GOB to control his schedule. The meeting itself was cordial, despite the repeated accusations [...] |
2006-03-02 12:39:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON BO |
| 06MINSK223 |
OPPOSITION PRESIDENTIAQ CANDIDATE BEATEN AND [...] No summary [...] |
2006-03-02 12:55:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK224 |
BKGB CLAIMS OPPOSITION COUP ATTEMPT [...] (SBU) Summary: Chairman of the BKGB Stepan Sukhorenko on March 1 claimed his organization had foiled opposition plans to detonate a bomb during a demonstration on Election Day, resulting in a bloody coup that would ¶lyze8 Belarus. Sukhorenko accused the unregistered election monitoring NGO [...] |
2006-03-02 13:01:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM |
| 06MINSK225 |
ELECTION OFFICIAL TELLS EUR DAS KRAEER ELECTIONS [...] No summary [...] |
2006-03-02 13:08:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PRED |
| 06MINSK232 |
EUR DAS KRAMER MEETS ANALYSTS, CIVIL SOCIETY [...] (C) Summary: Visiting EUR DAS David Kramer met with political analysts, civil society leaders, and students on February 24 to discuss the upcoming presidential elections and the accompanying GOB harassment. Analysts noted Russia,s change in policy from previous campaigns to support President [...] |
2006-03-07 09:26:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL |
| 06MINSK233 |
OPPOSITION CANDIDATE RELEASED FROM DETENTION, [...] (C) Summary: On March 2, opposition presidential candidate Aleksandr Kozulin was released from October Police Station between 1700 and 1800 local time (ref A). Following his release, Kozulin, his wife, and several members of Kozulin's political party went to the site of opposition candidate [...] |
2006-03-07 09:26:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK234 |
DAS KRAMER DISCUSSES ELECTIONS WITH MILINKEVICH [...] (C) Summary: On February 24, EUR DAS David Kramer met with deputy campaign managers of the single opposition candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich's campaign team Victor Korneyenko and Aleksandr Dobrovolsky. Korneyenko confirmed Milinkevich's plan to hold a rally on March 2, the same day as Presid [...] |
2006-03-07 15:04:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK238 |
Harassment of Opposition Intensifies [...] In recent weeks authorities have greatly accelerated their petty harassment of opposition activists, leading up to the March 19 presidential elections. Police throughout the country are detaining Milinkevich activists, usually releasing them without charge after three hours, and seizing their [...] |
2006-03-11 09:04:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK25 |
Latest Polling: Milinkevich Creeps Ahead in Polls, But Not [...] Summary: The results of IISEPS' latest polling shows that Lukashenko retains high ratings, around 53 percent. Opposition support remains low, even for the 10+ opposition candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich. Although Milinkevich's approval ratings did climb several points to 6.6 percent, a growin [...] |
2006-01-12 12:48:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 06MINSK252 |
Minsk Election Weekly XII (March 6-March 10) [...] This is the twelfth in a weekly series of election-oriented reports, providing brief items of interest related to the March 19, 2006 presidential elections. ------------------------- Repression and Harassment ------------------------- 2. Milinkevich Activists Sentenced to Jail On Mar [...] |
2006-03-14 08:41:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK255 |
Opposition and Police Face Off at Peaceful Rally [...] Summary: On March 2 at 1800 opposition candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich held an election rally in downtown Minsk. The rally attracted an estimated 3,000 participants. Although the event was peaceful and there were no arrests, security services prevented anyone from entering the square where th [...] |
2006-03-14 09:42:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK256 |
Trustbank Profits Soar Despite USG Sanctions (C-NE5-00153) [...] On February 28, a spokesman for Belarus' Trustbank (formerly known as Infobank) told the press his bank's profits in January were 6.1 times higher than a year previously, reaching BYR 92.3 million [USD 43,000] that month. Trustbank's gross assets rose 6.2% in January to BYR 156.9 billion [USD [...] |
2006-03-14 09:42:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN PINR EINV ETRD PREL BO |
| 06MINSK258 |
Meeting Voters Illegal in Belarus [...] (U) Summary: In the past week authorities have arrested and jailed or fined several Milinkevich activists, including senior campaign deputies Anatoly Lebedko (fined USD 721) and Vintsuk Vyachorka (sentenced to 15-days in jail), as well as ten other activists each sentenced to 15-days in jail. [...] |
2006-03-14 09:42:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK259 |
Meeting Voters Illegal in Belarus [...] (U) Summary: In the past week authorities have arrested and jailed or fined several Milinkevich activists, including senior campaign deputies Anatoly Lebedko (fined USD 721) and Vintsuk Vyachorka (sentenced to 15-days in jail), as well as ten other activists each sentenced to 15-days in jail. [...] |
2006-03-14 09:43:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK260 |
Trustbank Profits Soar Despite USG Sanctions (C-NE5-00153) [...] On February 28, a spokesman for Belarus' Trustbank (formerly known as Infobank) told the press his bank's profits in January were 6.1 times higher than a year previously, reaching BYR 92.3 million [USD 43,000] that month. Trustbank's gross assets rose 6.2% in January to BYR 156.9 billion [USD [...] |
2006-03-14 09:43:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN PINR EINV ETRD PREL BO |
| 06MINSK261 |
Opposition and Police Face Off at Peaceful Rally [...] Summary: On March 2 at 1800 opposition candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich held an election rally in downtown Minsk. The rally attracted an estimated 3,000 participants. Although the event was peaceful and there were no arrests, security services prevented anyone from entering the square where th [...] |
2006-03-14 09:44:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK262 |
Harassment of Opposition Intensifies [...] In recent weeks authorities have greatly accelerated their petty harassment of opposition activists, leading up to the March 19 presidential elections. Police throughout the country are detaining Milinkevich activists, usually releasing them without charge after three hours, and seizing their [...] |
2006-03-14 09:44:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK264 |
Kozulin Continues With Campaign, More Violence [...] (C) Summary: Campaign managers for presidential candidate Aleksandr Kozulin, Aleksei Korol and Oleg Volchek met with Poloffs on March 6 following Kozulin's March 2 beating at the hands of security forces. Although charged with hooliganism, Kozulin has continued with his campaign and his manag [...] |
2006-03-14 13:35:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK265 |
CEC Secretary on Early Voting and Problems with [...] (C) Summary: Poloffs met with Central Election Commission (CEC) Secretary Nikolai Lozovik on March 9. Lozovik at first explained Belarus' early voting process and answered questions concerning the censoring of opposition candidate television speeches and the March 2 beating of a candidate at [...] |
2006-03-14 13:35:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON BO |
| 06MINSK266 |
EUR DAS Kramer Meets Analysts, Civil Society [...] (C) Summary: Visiting EUR DAS David Kramer met with political analysts, civil society leaders, and students on February 24 to discuss the upcoming presidential elections and the accompanying GOB harassment. Analysts noted Russia's change in policy from previous campaigns to support President [...] |
2006-03-14 13:40:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK267 |
Minsk Election Weekly XII (March 6-March 10) [...] This is the twelfth in a weekly series of election-oriented reports, providing brief items of interest related to the March 19, 2006 presidential elections. ------------------------- Repression and Harassment ------------------------- 2. Milinkevich Activists Sentenced to Jail On Mar [...] |
2006-03-14 13:49:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK268 |
EMBASSY MINSK BIWEEKLY REPORT - March 10, 2006 [...] Refrigerator and freezer inventories increased 127 percent in January to 20,000 units. Tire inventories increased 29.7 percent to 28,000 units, chemical fiber inventories increased 20.3 percent to 20,700 tons, and television inventories increased 280 percent to 98,000 units. Meanwhile, truck [...] |
2006-03-14 13:50:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM ECON BO |
| 06MINSK269 |
Opposition Candidate Released From Detention, [...] (C) Summary: On March 2, opposition presidential candidate Aleksandr Kozulin was released from October Police Station between 1700 and 1800 local time (ref A). Following his release, Kozulin, his wife, and several members of Kozulin's political party went to the site of opposition candidate A [...] |
2006-03-14 13:53:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK270 |
Milinkevich Team Discusses Campaign Activities [...] (C) Summary: On March 6, Victor Kornyenko, deputy campaign manager for Ten Plus Coalition presidential candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich, provided for P/E Chief an overview of the campaign team's plans ahead of the March 19 elections. Commenting on the March 2 rally near Freedom Square, Kornye [...] |
2006-03-14 13:54:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK274 |
DAS Kramer Discusses Elections with Milinkevich [...] (C) Summary: On February 24, EUR DAS David Kramer met with deputy campaign managers of the single opposition candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich's campaign team Victor Korneyenko and Aleksandr Dobrovolsky. Korneyenko confirmed Milinkevich's plan to hold a rally on March 2, the same day as Presid [...] |
2006-03-15 10:09:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PINR BO |
| 06MINSK275 |
DAS Kramer Discusses Elections with Kozulin's [...] (C) Summary: EUR DAS David Kramer met with opposition presidential candidate Aleksandr Kozulin and his campaign team during his recent trip to Belarus. Kozulin claimed the authorities are afraid and are working to increase the level of fear among the population. Kramer underscored the need [...] |
2006-03-15 10:10:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PINR BO |
| 06MINSK276 |
Milinkevich Holds Three Meeting With GOB [...] (C) Summary: Emboffs on March 12 observed three of 10+ Coalition candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich's meetings with voters in Minsk. Milinkevich's messages in all three gatherings focused on "stability should not equal stagnation," "the elections will not be free and fair," and "vote against sel [...] |
2006-03-15 10:10:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON BO |
| 06MINSK277 |
Can't Sell Those Belarusian Goods [...] Summary: Many Belarusian companies, especially those owned by the state (which controls 80% of economic activity), are having problems selling the goods they produce. In February Belarusian warehouses were holding goods totaling 52.9% of average monthly production, worth over USD one billion. [...] |
2006-03-15 12:07:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV BO |
| 06MINSK278 |
Belarus Buying Indian SU-30s [...] (SBU) In February a number of Indian and Russian press sources announced that Belarus was intending to buy 18 used Sukhoi SU-30 aircraft from India. According to these press reports, India acquired a number of SU-30K fighters in 1997-1998, but is now modernizing its air force. Belarus theref [...] |
2006-03-16 11:10:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PREL MNUC ETTC BO |
| 06MINSK279 |
Russian Printing Press Stops Producing Independent [...] (SBU) Summary: The Smolensk Printing Plant annulled its contracts with independent newspapers Narodnaya Volya (NV), BDG Gazeta, and the democratic Communist Party of Belarus' Tovarishch on March 13, citing an overwhelming workload. The plant director later stated that the annulments were due [...] |
2006-03-16 14:08:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV BO |
| 06MINSK28 |
LUKASHENKO FEARS WEAK OPPOSITION [...] (C) Summary: Political analyst Valeriy Karbalevich explained that Lukashenko fears the opposition, even though the opposition poses no real threat in the March elections. Lukashenko, perhaps believing his regime's own propaganda, seemingly has not decided whether to allow his two main oppositi [...] |
2006-01-13 11:49:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR BO |
| 06MINSK281 |
BKGB Claims USG Terrorism on Election Day [...] At 1100 local on March 16, chairman of the BKGB Stepan Sukhorenko held a press conference to claim the BKGB had uncovered a plot by the Belarusian opposition, funded and organized by Georgia and the United States, to bomb four schools on Election Day (March 19) as part of a coup against Lukashe [...] |
2006-03-16 14:40:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PTER PHUM CASC BO |
| 06MINSK282 |
Milinkevich Campaign Manager Discusses Last-Minute [...] (C) Summary: On March 15, Sergey Kalyakin, campaign manager for Ten Plus Coalition presidential candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich, provided Pol/Econ Chief an assessment of the candidate's campaign rallies leading up to the March 19 elections. Kalyakin stressed Milinkevich and the campaign team [...] |
2006-03-17 07:56:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK285 |
Lukashenko Leads February Poll [...] (SBU) Summary: In a poll conducted just before the presidential campaign began, Lukashenko dominated the field and most Belarusians relied on state media for information. Still, despite lack of access and constant pro- Lukashenko/anti-opposition propaganda, pro-democracy candidate Milinkevich [...] |
2006-03-17 08:46:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON BO |
| 06MINSK286 |
Independent News Does Make a Difference [...] (C) Under the auspices of a DRL Human Rights and Democracy Fund (HRDF) small grant (reftel), the IISEPS polling service conducted the second of six opinion polls in mid-February (septel). IISEPS conducted the first such grant in early December, and plans to conduct the third in April. [Note: [...] |
2006-03-17 08:46:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KDEM BO |
| 06MINSK287 |
Russian Printing Press Stops Producing Independent [...] (SBU) Summary: The Smolensk Printing Plant annulled its contracts with independent newspapers Narodnaya Volya (NV), BDG Gazeta, and the democratic Communist Party of Belarus' Tovarishch on March 13, citing an overwhelming workload. The plant director later stated that the annulments were due [...] |
2006-03-17 11:16:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV BO |
| 06MINSK288 |
Milinkevich Strong in Grodno [...] (C) Summary: Poloff recently visited the western city of Grodno, hometown of opposition presidential candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich. Despite increasing harassment and pressure from authorities, Milinkevich's regional campaign leaders believe that Milinkevich would readily win an honest elec [...] |
2006-03-17 11:44:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK29 |
BELARUS PERSONNEL RE-SHUFFLE: TAKING NO CHANCES [...] (C) Summary: In recent weeks Belarusian dictator Lukashenko has reshuffled several senior positions in his Presidential Administration (PA) and removed the Minister of Health. The odious Viktor Sheiman has moved from heading the Presidential Administration to running Lukashenko's presidential [...] |
2006-01-13 11:49:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR BO |
| 06MINSK290 |
Minsk Election Weekly XIII (March 11-March 17) [...] This is the thirteenth in a weekly series of election- oriented reports, providing brief items of interest related to the March 19 presidential elections. --------- Observers --------- 2. OSCE PA and ODIHR Launch Short-Term Observer Mission On March 16, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Pr [...] |
2006-03-17 14:24:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK292 |
March Madness: Mass Opposition Arrests [...] In the past two weeks authorities have arrested at least 150 opposition activists, jailing many of them for up to 15 days each on charges ranging from participating in an unsanctioned protest, to urinating or shouting obscenities in public. Police allegedly beat several during their arrests. [...] |
2006-03-17 14:30:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK294 |
KOZULIN MEETS WITH AMBASSADOR, SEEKS U.S. SUPPORT [...] (C) Summary: In his March 14 meeting with Ambassador, opposition presidential candidate Aleksandr Kozulin presented pictures and names of security service officers who beat him on March 2 (reftel), and noted a letter of appreciation to Secretary Rice and his plea to Russian President Vladimir [...] |
2006-03-17 16:40:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK299 |
MILINKEVICH CALLS FOR STREET PROTESTS [...] (U) Summary: Opposition presidential candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich told a press conference on March 20 that the opposition does not recognize Lukashenko as the winner of the obviously falsified elections. Milinkevich is demanding a repeat election, held in a democratic manner without repres [...] |
2006-03-21 07:50:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK305 |
INDEPENDENT WEEKLY CLOSED FOR PRINTING MOHAMMED [...] (C) Summary: The Supreme Economic Court first suspended and then closed the independent weekly "Zgoda" for reprinting the Mohammed cartoons as part of a commentary on the violent protests the cartoons had sparked in the Islamic world. The GOB, siding with Belarusian Muslims, condemned the cart [...] |
2006-03-21 15:05:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK306 |
SOME DIGGING STILL AT GRODNO CEMETERY [...] (C) Summary: On March 13, Poloff visited the site of the controversial Grodno stadium, built on top of a Jewish cemetery. Poloff confirmed that digging continues at the site, but that it is to finish off the expansion of the stadium, rather than as part of any new project. Poloff did not see [...] |
2006-03-21 15:19:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KIRF BO |
| 06MINSK307 |
Mass Arrests Follow Elections [...] Summary: The human rights NGO Vyasna and independent press report that at least 108 people, and likely more, were arrested late March 20th and early March 21st. The detained include Anatoly Lebedko, deputy to Milinkevich and leader of the United Civic Party, and his deputy Aleksandr Dobrovolsk [...] |
2006-03-21 15:53:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK308 |
Crowd Size Drops On Second Day of Opposition Protests [...] (SBU) Summary: On March 20, opposition presidential candidates Aleksandr Milinkevich and Aleksandr Kozulin organized another protest rally on October Square in Minsk. Emboff observers estimate that between 18:30 and 20:00, 5,000 to 6,000 Belarusians participated in the rally, a significant de [...] |
2006-03-21 16:05:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 06MINSK309 |
OSCE Rebukes Belarus Elections [...] (U) Summary. At a joint press conference on March 20, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and OSCE ODIHR representatives declared that the presidential elections in Belarus did not meet international standards or OSCE commitments for free and fair elections. Preliminary conclusions from their observa [...] |
2006-03-22 11:01:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 06MINSK311 |
Lukashenko Gives Victory Speech and Fiery Press [...] (SBU) Summary: On March 20, a defiant Aleksandr Lukashenko accepted his presidential "victory" at a press conference held in the cavernous Palace of the Republic and spoke to a full audience, including practically the entire Belarusian government, on live television. Lukashenko stressed Belarusians [...] |
2006-03-22 15:51:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL BO |
| 06MINSK312 |
Sitrep 1: Numbers and Spirits Drop On Third Day of [...] (C) Summary: In the evening on March 21, Poloffs observed the third protest rally on October Square organized by Ten Plus Coalition candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich and Belarusian Social Democratic Party ("Gramada") Aleksandr Kozulin. At the height of the rally, Poloffs estimated that approxim [...] |
2006-03-22 15:51:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 06MINSK314 |
LUKASHENKO GIVES VICTORY SPEECH AND FIERY PRESS [...] (SBU) Summary: On March 20, a defiant Aleksandr Lukashenko accepted his presidential &victory8 at a press conference held in the cavernous Palace of the Republic and spoke to a full audience, including practically the entire Belarusian government, on live television. Lukashenko stressed Belar [...] |
2006-03-23 07:04:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL |
| 06MINSK315 |
LUKASHENKO GIVES VICTORY SPEECH AND FIERY PRESS [...] (SBU) Summary: On March 20, a defiant Aleksandr Lukashenko accepted his presidential &victory8 at a press conference held in the cavernous Palace of the Republic and spoke to a full audience, including practically the entire Belarusian government, on live television. Lukashenko stressed Belar [...] |
2006-03-23 07:04:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL |
| 06MINSK318 |
Sitrep 1: Numbers and Spirits Drop On Third Day of [...] No summary [...] |
2006-03-23 14:32:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 06MINSK319 |
SITUATION REPORT 2: A RIFT FORMS BETWEEN [...] (C) Summary: On March 22, key member of the Aleksandr Milinkevich presidential campaign Jaroslav Romanchuk offered Ambassador a critical assessment of the team,s efforts to promote democratic change following the likely fraudulent March 19 elections. Romanchuk, a senior member of Anatoly Leb [...] |
2006-03-23 15:34:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM |
| 06MINSK320 |
Sitrep 1: Numbers and Spirits Drop On Third Day of [...] (C) Summary: In the evening on March 21, Poloffs observed the third protest rally on October Square organized by Ten Plus Coalition candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich and Belarusian Social Democratic Party ("Gramada") Aleksandr Kozulin. At the height of the rally, Poloffs estimated that approxim [...] |
2006-03-23 15:44:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 06MINSK321 |
Ten Days in Jail for Reading the Bible [...] (C) Summary: On March 14, Poloff met with head of the Christ Convenant Reformed Baptist Church who had just served 10 days in jail for holding an unsanctioned religious service in his private residence. This is the first time in 20 years that a person has been jailed for holding religious wo [...] |
2006-03-23 15:49:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK322 |
Situation Report 3: Opposition Crowd Dwindles, Ten Plus [...] (C) Summary: The number of protesters on October Square continues to diminish. On March 22, the fourth night of protests on the square, Emboffs observed approximately 1,000 protesters. Ten Plus Coalition leader Aleksandr Milinkevich congratulated protesters for their determination to remain [...] |
2006-03-23 15:55:00 | Embassy Minsk | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL BO |
| 06MINSK323 |
Even More Arrests and Many Convictions Follow Elections [...] Summary: From March 21 to March 23, human rights activists and independent press reported that more people have been arrested and several dozens have already been sentenced for participating in demonstrations following the March 19 presidential elections. Anatoly Lebedko, deputy to Milinkevich [...] |
2006-03-23 15:56:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM BO |
| 06MINSK327 |
Opposition Faces Criminal Charges [...] Summary: Hundreds of opposition activists have recently been charged and convicted for violating the relatively more lenient Administrative Code, and 21 face much more serious charges under the Criminal Code. One person has been sentenced to five months in prison, while the others (including p [...] |
2006-03-24 11:04:00 | Embassy Minsk | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM BO |