Poland recalls ambassador to Belarus amid ‘serious crisis’

Khaleej Times Online ^ | 28 July 2005

[lizol]

Poland recalls ambassador to Belarus amid ‘serious crisis’ (AFP)

28 July 2005

WARSAW - Poland has recalled its ambassador to Belarus amid a “serious crisis” sparked by a crackdown by President Alexander Lukashenko’s regime on the Polish minority in Belarus, Polish Foreign Minister Adam Rotfeld said on Thursday.

“Given the situation, we have recalled our ambassador for consultations. He will not resume his post until the situation in Belarus changes,” Rotfeld told reporters after the Polish government held a meeting on the crisis in Belarus.

“Polish-Belarussian relations are currently in a serious crisis following the actions taken by the authorities against the Association of Poles,” he said.

In an overnight raid, Belarussian riot police seized the headquarters of the Association of Poles, which represents 20,000 of Belarus’ 400,000-strong ethnic Polish minority.

Several of the association’s leaders, whom Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has declared illegitimate, were held in police custody before being released Thursday morning.

The recall of the Polish ambassador follows tit-for-tat expulsions of Polish and Belarus diplomats over the crackdown on ethnic Poles in Belarus, which Warsaw has described as a violation of human rights.

[lizol]

Eastern European ping list

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FRmail me to be added or removed from this Eastern European ping list

[kharaku]

Between this and the Putin-Lukashenko comments... not good.

[anonymoussierra]

Translation

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"Lukaszenko is creating atmosphere which he should be very careful of. In this situation Kremlin makes moves on behalf of Lukaszenko. Bluntly speaking; each side has something to add in fore their own purposes and self interest. Till there is change of old guard in Kremlin nothing will change. Also warning to my beloved politicians in Warsaw; deal with problems in our own country first: before putting your nose somewhere else! Cimoszewicz is on idiot so is Kaczynski; (kaczorowi brakuje pare klepek ale to juz szczegulik ogolny); last thing need it here is nonsense coming from Minsk following script from Kremlin. Lukaszenko is absolutely paranoid individual without any concern for his own country people. Freedom itself is earned not granted."
end translation

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thank you all/dzieki Lizol trzym sie

[sergey1973]

My impression is that Lukashenko is getting increasingly hysterical meaning that his regime is close to crumbling. Don't want to make any predictions, but I would really hope for a peaceful collapse of this jerk.

[Kisiel]

Also warning to my beloved politicians in Warsaw; deal with problems in our own country first: before putting your nose somewhere else!

What do you mean by "putting your nose somewhere else"? Lukashenko has violated international agreements with Poland, with the EU and the UN. His police illegally seized the buildings of the Association of Poles in Belarus. He is trying to impose his own people as leaders of this association instead of the democratically elected ones. Poland reacted in the only reasonable way.

[anonymoussierra]

"What do you mean by "putting your nose somewhere else"? Lukashenko has violated international agreements with Poland, with the EU and the UN. His police illegally seized the buildings of the Association of Poles in Belarus. He is trying to impose his own people as leaders of this association instead of the democratically elected ones. Poland reacted in the only reasonable way."thank you"Kisiel"translation

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"Where there is a line it flows with itself of it. Some don't want to really get a grip on fact our country have been sold for silver of a coin. One idiot left in 1989 others took over. No one will stand next to me and debate our government in Warsaw; unless they are as stupid as truck with out engine; we have lost; I dare debate by all of my fellow country man of what happened to our economy and loops created in laws after 1989; Balcerowicz comes to mind. Give me best shot and I will answer straight forward: Belarus give me a break: it's Kremlin script from a to z. It takes a ton to know when kilogram is; it takes moron not know where facts are; look beyond goals of self."end

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thank you all

[SaltyJoe]

"My impression is that Lukashenko is getting increasingly hysterical meaning that his regime is close to crumbling."

You bring up a good point. If some nation, like Russia, provides Lukashenko a guaranteed retirement in complete safety (the way Saudi Arabia provided retirement for Uganda's Idi Amin), then maybe Belarus can achieve a change over without bloodshed.

While Russia's at it, maybe China can do the same guaranteed retirement in complete safety for North Korea's Kim Jong Il.

[SaltyJoe]

Not to leave America out of the example I posted before, but we did guarantee a safe retire for former presidents of other nations. Marcos from the Philippines is one, and Noriega from Panama is another. If either of these two were slaughter by their opposition, then there would be massive bloody civil wars. This is not to say that violence didn't or doesn't happen, but the violence was at a smaller scale than what could have been.

Thus, if a captured former president, like Saddam Hussein, is given a guaranteed retirement of safety for the rest of his natural life (justly behind prison bars), then the demons that have come to rest in him be trapped with him too.

When China transitioned from Empire to Republic (although unsuccessfully), the use of a "forbidden city" allowed the royal dynasty the dignity of fading away. The same "forbidden city" might be used for Pyongyang to contain one "Dear Leader" and protect him from the rest of the nation. If we calculate that Kim Jong Il grew into his psyche because of the massive indoctrination from his father's cult of personality, the a "forbidden city" gives him the dignity of a justice to living out a natural end, and we leave him to God's Justice. Meanwhile, the rest of the Korean peninsula carries on and moves forward.

I fully expect the argument to demand blood for blood, eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. And if that's what the world wants, then we'll surely get it.

[SaltyJoe]

If nations go to war, then it should be a breakdancing fight "BOTY" Battle of the Year.

Breakdancing for the Pope

http://www.vimeo.com/tag=breakdancing

This is, yet again, more evidence that the late Pope John Paul #2 ("The Great") was well ahead of his time. As b-boying regains in popularity, we can see that breakdance "fighting" is the only battling that meets the Vatican's requirements for its Just War Doctrine.

(and a BOTY in Germany will be held in August not too distant from the World Youth Day...coincidence? I think not)

"Pope Entertained by Break-Dancers"

VATICAN CITY (Jan. 25) - In an unusual spectacle at the Vatican, Pope John Paul II presided Sunday over a performance of break-dancers who leaped, flipped and spun their bodies to beats from a tinny boom box.

The 83-year-old pontiff seemed to approve, waving his hand after each dancer completed a move, then applauding for the entire group. He watched the performance from a raised throne.

"For this creative hard work I bless you from my heart," he said.

During the show, one dancer - part of a Polish group that helps poor and marginalized youths - planted his head on the inlaid marble floor of the Vatican hall and spun to loud applause from his group and from Vatican officials. Another performer flung his body around in a series of spins and handstands.

"Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it," John Paul said.

Earlier Sunday, members of an Italian Catholic youth organization enthusiastically cheered the pope's weekly remarks in St. Peter's Square. A few were invited into his papal apartment and helped him release doves from his window.

The pope, who suffers numerous ailments but appeared relatively strong Sunday, called out to the other children cheering below his window.

"I love you all. I love you very much," he said.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=breakdancing+pope