VLADIMIR KARTASHKIN, Sub-Commission alternate, asked: "Why Belarus? Why were they not looking at other countries where violations of human rights were taking place in a massive and flagrant manner?"

FRANCOISE HAMPSON, Sub-Commission expert, said that there were three reasons for a resolution against Belarus: Belarus was a striking case of a country where the human rights record was getting worse; with regard to the concentration of power, the President had used this power to issue a number of decrees that had violated international norms of human rights and also the domestic order - he had provided for incommunicado detention of suspects, and human rights were violated in practice in Belarus and in the face of the law; finally, people both inside and outside the country had tried to improve the situation with no success. (ILHR and UNHCHR press reports, August 21)

STANISLAV S. AGURTSOV, the representative of Belarus, spoke in opposition to the measure. He maintained that in preparing the draft resolution on Belarus, the sponsors had used unverified facts, some of which were purely concocted. This draft resolution might have negative results and even lead to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's observer group’s withdrawal from the country. In the history of the Sub-Commission, there had never been a case where it sided with the political opposition of a country.

--The representative of Belarus Oppostion [ ANDREI SANNIKOV] had spoken to the Sub - Commission on behalf of an NGO that had its headquarters in Washington [ s i c - - the refererence is to ILHR ( e d .) ] . Violations of human rights were not overlooked by the Government, and the position and principles of the country would remain the same. Mr. Agurtsov maintained that, the protection of human rights was the most important role of the State. (ILHR and UNHCHR press reports, August 21)

Alexander Lukashenko announced that he will too busy to attend the 53rd session of the UN General Assembly in New York, which will open on September 9, ITAR-TASS reported on August 22. He also said he will not participate in the conference of the Non-Aligned Movement Countries scheduled August 29 to September 3 in Durban, South Africa. At a news conference held in the foreign office on August 20, Nikolai Buzo, Deputy Foreign Minister, announced that Belarusian delegations to both meetings probably would be led by Foreign Minister Ivan Antonovich. Previously, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry had announced that Lukashenko will deliver a "fundamental report" at the UN session. (RFE/RL, August 24)

A Minsk district court on August 21 sentenced Pyotr Hushcha, an independent religious leader, to three years in prison on charges of "malicious hooliganism," Belapan and RFE/RL's Belarusian Service reported. Hushcha was arrested for allegedly exposing himself in front of two girls, aged eight and ten. Hushcha maintains that he is innocent and that the case is fabricated to discourage others from challenging the religious domination of the Russian-influenced Belarusian Orthodox Church. (RFE/RL, August 25)

In response to an appeal about the case of Pyotr Hushcha issued by the International League for Human Rights, the OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group [AMG] stationed in Belarus stated that it "had been following the Hushcha case since late March 1998… The AMG is concerned with the nature of the charges against the Bishop and in particular that the charges were stiffened part way during the pre-trial period. The OSCE AMG will continue to monitor the situation of the Bishop and the case as it proceeds." [OSCE letter dated August 31, 1998.] (ILHR, September 2)

The Minsk Municipal authorities forbade the Belarusian Language Society to hold a demonstration on August 31on Jakub Kolas Square in Minsk in support of the Belarusian Lycee for the Humanities. The letter signed by Victor Chikin, deputy head of the Minsk city administration, says that the demonstration "aimed at propagandizing education in the Belarusian language and establishing a national university appears to be impossible because the application was not filed in due time." According to Oleg Trusov, deputy of the 12th Supreme Soviet, the application for organizing the meeting was submitted 15 days before the action, as required by procedure. However, the Minsk authorities permitted the organization of a picket to take place on September 1 on Leningradsky Lane. (Radio 101.2, August 25)

BG: Mr LeCocq, first of all, on behalf of the Editorial Board of our paper and, I hope, of the majority of our readers, let me present our condolences on the occasion of the tragic deaths of US diplomats in Kenya and Tanzania and pass on our condolences to the relatives and friends of those who were killed. LeCocq: Due to its geographical location, Belarus has great opportunities for economic development. We had long discussions with Ambassador Speckhard about possible ways of assisting Belarus when we learned that we would be working together here. We had a lot of ideas and projects. Unfortunately, some problems emerged in our bilateral relations. But I hope these problems are of a temporary nature. We intend to promote US-Belarusian relations.

BG: What Belarusian officials have you already met with?

LeCocq: I've had meetings with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs V. Gerasimovich, Assistant President U. Latypov and some other officials. Of course, we continue to contact Belarusian authorities. It's my principle to have a positive attitude.

BG: Let's discuss the problems of US business in Belarus. There's a point of view repeatedly expressed here that, as they put it, in spite of political difficulties, US businessmen, independent from their government, appear on the Belarusian market. The Ford Union joint venture is given as an example. What do you think of it?

LeCocq: The US government always tries to assist US businessmen. I think their activities in Belarus may be more successful if we continue to render them assistance in that. I can give an example of activities of US commercial centers, representations of the US Department of Trade that operate world-wide. It's true that US companies are to a great extent independent of the US government. And to render them comprehensive assistance is our main role in co-operation with US companies. As for the Ford activities here, it is as important for Belarus as the appearance and prosperity of national small and medium-size private enterprises. It's no doubt that Ford activities are equally important for Belarus and USA. There will be more investment in Belarus, if more private enterprises appear here and if the attitude of the Belarusian government towards them is consistent and favourable.

BG: The Belarusian economy and trade are East-oriented now. I mean not only Russia. How promising is such an orientation, in your opinion?

LeCocq: You can often hear in Belarus that you need to be either East-, or West-oriented. Taking a lot of countries in the world as an example, one can prove that the maximum number of contacts and orientation at a lot of various partners is quite important. If we speak about the strong points of the Belarusian economy, we should point out the traditionally mentioned geographical position of Belarus because it is the gate of the West to the territory which is usually called post-Soviet, and the educated labor.

BG: The president of Belarus says, in particular, that US businessmen require strong authority from him that would guarantee their investment. And he gives Ford Union as an example. Is such strong authority required to guarantee investment?

LeCocq: Of course, during a transition period solutions may differ, depending on the conditions. But in the long-term, democratic principles are the best guarantee of the stability of the economy. I would like these words to be taken not as comments about the presidential stance but as an opinion of principles of relations between governments because we are still doing our best to co-operate with the Belarusian authorities. To the extent that it is possible.

BG: As far as we know, the Belarusian authorities are considering a possibility that Washington might have some "surprise" in store Lukashenko during his visit to New York to participate in the UN General Assembly which is scheduled for September 22. How do you feel about such suggestions?

LeCocq: We can hardly talk about a "surprise" prepared for President Lukashenko. At least because he is going to the United Nations and all his meetings will be arranged under UN auspices. As a rule, the US government does not take any part in the arrangement of such meetings. Besides, such interference would contradict the status of the country on whose territory the headquarters of this international organization is situated.

BG: The Belarusian foreign ministry held a meeting between Mr. Antonovich and the charges d'affaires of Germany, France and the United Kingdom. During the meeting they discussed ways out of the conflict around the diplomatic residences in Drozdy. Are you going to have such a meeting with the minister?

LeCocq: There have been no proposals of a meeting. Yet, these states are consulting us and other states involved in the conflict. (Belaruskaya gazeta, August 25)