Brother Slavs: Belarus and Yugoslavia --
BELARUSIAN MPs DENIED US ENTRY VISAS
The developments surrounding Kosovo unexpectedly led to tensions between Russia's ally Belarus and the United States. Mikhail Charginets, chairman of the Committee on International Affairs of the Belarusian National Assembly, was going to represent Belarus at an Annual Conference of the Interparliamentary Union in New York. However, the US Consulate refused to issue entry visas to Belarusian lawmakers. "The United States is seeking to punish Belarus for its firm anti-NATO stance on the Yugoslav crisis, even though Belarus was not the only country to oppose NATO's air strikes against Serbs. But only Belarusian delegates were denied visas," Charginets said. The latest developments, added Charginets, may prompt Belarus and Russia to strengthen their ties with Yugoslavia. (BBC, October 28)
PARLIAMENT'S UPPER HOUSE PROTESTS AGAINST USE OF FORCE BY NATO The Council of the Republic, the upper house of the Belarusian parliament, issued a statement to express its deep concern about NATO's "direct threats of military intervention in the Balkans." The statement says that "the use of military force by the North Atlantic alliance will make the situation worse, destroy prospects of a negotiated settlement for the conflict, and aggravate the situation in the Balkans and the areas adjacent to Kosovo." Belarus wants the international community to have its observers in Kosovo to assess the situation and contribute to bringing about a peaceful settlement of the conflict. Belarusian parliamentarians believe the OSCE mission should resume its work in Kosovo as soon as possible, and call on parliaments in other countries to "do everything possible to prevent military action in Kosovo, and work towards peaceful talks between the conflicting sides." (Belapan, October 22)
PICKETS DEMAND UN CONDEMNATION OF NATO STANCE ON YUGOSLAVIA
On October 27, representatives of the Belarusian Communist Party, the Movement of Working People of Belarus for Democracy, Social Progress and Justice, the Officers' Union, and the All-Belarus Cossack Association expressed their hopes for a peaceful solution of the Kosovo conflict. Protesters gathered outside the UN mission in Minsk. Their slogans urged the international community to stop NATO aggression and to fulfil the UN's mission as a guarantor of peace. Specially prepared declarations demanded that the UN Secretary-General denounce NATO actions as unacceptable interference in Yugoslavia's internal affairs and as a violations of international law. In the event of direct aggression, Belarusian organizations reserve the right to provide Yugoslavia with comprehensive assistance, the declaration said. (BBC, October 27, 1998)
LUKASHENKO NAMED FAVORITE FOREIGN FIGURE IN YUGOSLAV POLL
Politika, the largest Yugoslavian daily, published the results of an opinion poll on the subject: Who is your favorite foreign public figure? According to the daily, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is in the lead, far ahead of other nominees. (BBC, October 29)
RUSSIAN DUMA PASSES RESOLUTION ON YUGOSLAVIA
The Russian State Duma invites the Federal Assembly of Yugoslavia to take part in the work of the parliamentary assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia as an observer, says a resolution adopted by the lower house on the results of the visit of the State Duma's official delegation to Yugoslavia. The resolution says that this decision has been agreed with the National Assembly of Belarus.
(RIA, October 23)
-- Brother Slavs: Belarus and Russia --
LUKASHENKO: BACK TO THE USSR
The restoration of the Soviet Union is the only way to end the political and economic turmoil in its former republics, said the Belarusian president on October 23. "I am certain that reunification will occur sooner or later, in any event no later than my grandchildren grow up," Alexander Lukashenko said during a visit to the Kemerovo region of Siberia. (Associated Press, October 23)
PRESIDENT URGES ELECTIONS TO UNION PARLIAMENT
Alexander Lukashenko urged to hold direct general elections to the parliament of the Russia-Belarus Union and to introduce dual citizenship. The laws of the Union envision direct general polls, Lukashenko, chairman of the Union High Council, said on October 22 at a meeting with the Belarusian diaspora in the west-Siberian city of Omsk. "The people should elect deputies to the Union instead of appointing functioning members of parliament," he said. (Interfax, October 22)
REFERENDUM ON CONFEDERATION WITH RUSSIA
Sergey Gaidukevich, chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus, established an organization to press for a national referendum on the unification of Belarus and Russia. According to Gaidukevich, a referendum should be held on the following question: "Do you agree to the formation of a confederation between Belarus and Russia?" The group will submit its list of supporters and the wording of the question to the Central Electoral Commission in early November. (Belapan, October 23)
RUSSIAN AND BELARUSIAN KGB UNITE
The leaders of the secret services of Russia and Belarus demonstrated complete confidence in the success of their cooperation within the Russia-Belarus Union. "We have been a bit late with this, other state structures of our countries have long been functioning in that mode," Vladimir Matskevich, chairman of Belarusian State Security Committee, told journalists on October 29, during a break at the first joint session of the boards of Russia's Federal Security Service, the KGB of the Republic of Belarus and the Committee for the Security of the Union of Belarus and Russia. At the same time, according to him, "integration of the secret services has already embarked on a number of promising directions" with short- and medium-term programs outlined for joint action. In addition, a Committee for Security of the Union of Belarus and Russia has been established and is now functioning. Vladimir Putin, FSB director, while speaking of cooperation with Belarusian KGB, emphasized that the integration is developing very well. (RIA, October 29)
BELARUS STRENGTHENS CONTACTS WITH RUSSIAN REGIONS
Alexander Lukashenko expressed willingness to go from cooperation with individual Russian regions to cooperation with groups of regions. On October 21, he told Viktor Kress, Governor of the Tomsk region, that Belarus would like to begin establishing contacts with 19 Siberian regions which are members of the Siberian Association led by Kress. Lukashenko stressed that this will enhance the efficiency of trade and economic relations within the framework of the Russian-Belarusian Union. He also said that through Belarus he was "ready to represent the Siberian regions' interests in the West and help them promote their products on Western markets." He said that Boris Yeltsin "reacted very positively" to his meetings with the Russian regional leaders. Lukashenko confessed that although he did not intend to interfere with Russian affairs, "there are many people in Russia who would like to entangle me in inner Russian disputes." This has to do in the first place with Yeltsin's possible resignation, discussed in Russian political circles and claims laid on the presidential post by different politicians. (Interfax, October 28)
SMOLENSK REGION IMPOSES VEHICLE TAX ON VISITORS
The administration of Smolensk Region adopted a measure which is manifestly unfriendly toward its Belarusian neighbors. Belarusian TV reported on October 26 that the Smolensk authorities decided to impose a levy on foreign drivers who take their vehicles into Smolensk, or pass through it on their way to other towns. The levy, which is supposed to be for environmental improvements, will be 222 Russian rubles per car and 828 rubles per truck. For Belarusians these are enormous sums of money, comparable with a month's wages. (ITAR-TASS, October 26)
BELARUS BORROWS 400 MLN RUBLES FROM RUSSIA
Russia will offer Belarus up to 400 million rubles in government credits in 1998 and 1999, including up to 50 million rubles this year and up to 350 million in 1999. The Russian government issued a resolution ordering Vadim Gustov, First Deputy Prime Minister, to negotiate the credits. Under a draft of intergovernmental agreement, the credits will be issued through payment for Russian engineering products exported to Belarus. The amount of the credit will be fixed in U.S. dollars at the Central Bank of Russia's exchange rate on the day of payment. (Middle East News Items, October 26)
LUKASHENKO MEETS WITH RUSSIAN LEFTWING LEADER
Andrei Nikolaev, a deputy of the Russian Duma and the chairman of the All-Russia Union of People's Power and Labor, visited Minsk at the invitation of the Belarusian president. At a two-hour meeting Alexander Lukashenko and Andrei Nikolaev discussed various aspects of domestic and foreign policy, economy, bilateral relations between Belarus and Russia, and other members of the CIS. Andrei Nikolaev stressed that he was a convinced supporter of the Union and its possible enlargement. "If Russia stood more firmly on its feet, many commonwealth countries would consider it an honor to join the Union," he said. Nikolaev also had meetings with high-ranking officials of the Belarusian government and parliament and with the leadership of the World Congress of Slavs. (ITAR-TASS, October 27)
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-- At Home In Belarus --
ANOTHER PLOT?
A team conducting an investigation into the killing of Evgeny Mikolutsky, ex-chairman of the Mogilev Regional state control Committee, discovered a plot to assassinate
Alexander Lukashenko, Prosecutor-General Oleg Bozhelko said at a news conference on October 23. According to Bozhelko, those involved in the plot have already been arrested and will stand trial. However, he refused to say what charges would be brought against them. Bozhelko said that the investigation into the killing of Mikolutsky had been completed. The suspects are studying the evidence, but some aspects of the case will require additional investigation, he said. (BBC, October 27)
PRIME MINISTER PAINTS GLOOMY PICTURE OF ECONOMY
Speaking at a session of both houses of the Belarusian National Assembly on October 23, Sergei Ling, Belarusian Prime Minister, drew a gloomy picture of the performance of the country's agricultural sector this year. He said that agricultural output rose by only 0.1 per cent in the first nine months of this year. He also said that the country's trade gap has widened by 2 per cent. In the first nine months, exports rose by 7 per cent and imports by 9 per cent. According to him, inflation in the first nine months of the year was 53 per cent, whereas the government projected to keep annual inflation at 27 per cent. Industrial output fell by 4.5 per cent in September compared with August. (Belapan, October 23)
PRICE INCREASES ANNOUNCED
Sergey Ling told the legislature on October 23 that the government has been forced to adopt "a number of tough measures" to fight the current financial and economic crisis, Belarusian TV reported. He said that Belarus will import foodstuffs at "negotiated prices" and increase prices for Belarusian goods to "equalize prices with neighbors." He added that "we are forced to set higher prices on non-foodstuffs because production is unprofitable not only in the agricultural sector but also in a number of our industrial enterprises." (RFE/RL, October 26)
PRIME MINISTER PLEDGES SPENDING CUTS IN 1999
Prime Minister Sergei Ling said spending cuts are planned for 1999 in an effort to decrease the budget deficit. On October 22, he told members of the Belarusian National Assembly that the government would submit the 1999 budget estimates to the president by the end of November. Ling said that the government had made little progress on the budget cuts because it was impossible to make concrete projections until there was relative financial stability in Belarus and Russia. He added, however, that the government intended to reduce the budget deficit from 3.5 per cent in 1998 to 1.5 per cent in 1999 by curtailing spending. He said that budget expenditure in 1999 must go down, otherwise the government would have to issue treasury bills to finance the deficit and redeem them in 2000. (Belapan, October 24)
BRAVADO BELIES FARM CRISIS
The harvest celebration presided over by Alexander Lukashenko took place in Nesvizh, the modest town of 30,000 southwest of Minsk. Officials erected rows of improvised shops selling clothes, food and drink not seen in the town since Soviet times, if ever. Curious shoppers milled along the usually dusty streets in between endless open-air performances by folk groups. "Everyone has made a contribution to the harvest," Lukashenko shouted from a raised platform in the main square. "I am proud that most Belarusians have not become resigned to feeding themselves with goods produced by someone else. For their heroic labors, they all richly deserve a true folk celebration." State television, Lukashenko's main mouthpiece, broadcasted the event for three days. (Reuters, October 27)
BELARUS PERMITS SALES OF IMPORTED GOODS FOR HARD CURRENCY
Belarusian government permitted the sale of any imported food and non-food product for hard currency, the National Bank told Interfax. A corresponding resolution by the government and the National Bank came into effect on October 21. Before that, the list of goods that could be sold for hard currency was rather short. It mainly included imported cars, electronic home appliances and gasoline. To sell goods for hard currency, vendors will have to buy a license from the National Bank which costs 100 minimum wages (about $200). This measure was introduced because the price of imported goods in the national currency often exceeded their price in hard currency four-fold, the National Bank said. (Interfax, October 28)
DEFENCE MINISTER COMPLAINS OF DRAFTEES' HEALTH
Alexander Chumakov, Belarusian Defense Minister, said on October 23 that the Belarusian armed forces may soon face difficulties in staffing. According to him, only 40% of draftees passed the medical examination during the spring-summer military conscription. The country's conscription offices reported that 357 draftees fled Belarus to avoid the service, Chumakov said. (Belapan, October 23)
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-- Drozdy Developments --
MINSK HINTS THAT EVICTED AMBASSADORS CAN RETURN
The Belarusian Foreign Ministry is ready to consider a return of EU ambassadors to the Drozdy compound near Minsk, Foreign Minister Ivan Antonovich said on national television. "The Foreign Ministry will be able to conduct a dialogue with the heads of diplomatic missions if they return to Belarus," he said. Japanese charge d'affaires Shigeo Natsui, who was recalled in June over the scandal, but returned at the end of August, told Reuters that Antonovich's remarks failed to clarify Belarus's attitude. "The position of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is absolutely unclear," said Natsui, who lives in a hotel in Minsk and added that he had not received an invitation to return to his home in the Drozdy compound. "The position of the diplomatic corps is unchanged -- the restoration of Drozdy's previous status," Natsui said, noting that there should be principle resolution of the problem, rather than case-by-case negotiations. "The Turkish ambassador received an invitation to return. But you cannot call that progress. Belarus has not offered anything concrete not even any guarantees that someone who returns won't be moved out tomorrow." "There is a lot that is not clear about the Drozdy saga -- negotiations are held on the level of hints," said Natsui. "We would like to have clear and definite prospects." (Reuters, October 28)
U.S. WANTS LEGISLATIVE BEDROCK FOR MINSK RESIDENCE
The United States said on October 28 that it needed "a solid legal basis" for a diplomatic residence in Minsk before it starts to consider new housing offers. "The issue is not housing but the basis on which our and other governments conduct relations with Belarus," said a State Department official, responding to a Belarusian proposal that diplomats may return to Minsk for talks on a housing dispute. "We can consider proposals for housing when the government finds a way to create a solid legal basis for any future U.S. residence in Minsk. We have discussed these issues with Belarusian officials and await a response that addresses our concerns," she added. (Reuters, October 28)
EU OFFICIAL IN BELARUS TALKS ABOUT AMBASSADORIAL RESIDENCES
A European Union official came to Minsk for talks on the accommodation of foreign diplomatic missions in Belarus, Foreign Minister Ivan Antonovich told a news conference on October 29. "The Drozdy incident has almost closed and Minsk is ready to consider the possibility of accommodating the ambassadors of European countries and the United States at Drozdy, if they return to Belarus," Antonovich added. (Interfax, October 29)
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-- Belarusian Camp Survivors Compensated --
FIRST SWISS PAYMENTS TO EASTERN EUROPEAN NAZI POLITICAL PRISONERS
Belarusians became the first Eastern Europeans to receive Swiss compensation for being imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps on political grounds. More than a thousand Belarusians will share 400,000 dollars from a special Swiss fund set up to benefit victims of the Holocaust, the fund's secretary said. The payments to the former political prisoners follows a request from the Belarusian group, Mutual Comprehension and Reconciliation. Payments to the Jewish survivors were initiated by the World Jewish Restitution Organization. (Agence France Presse, October 28)
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