FREE BELARUS
Posted on 02/25/2006 3:47:51 PM PST by lizol
.S. Warns Belarus Over Vote
Combined Reports
MINSK -- A senior U.S. diplomat warned Belarus not to manipulate results in next month's tense presidential election, in which Alexander Lukashenko is seeking a third term.
Lukashenko's main challenger, Alexander Milinkevich, has said opposition backers will hold demonstrations if the March 19 election is tallied fraudulently -- and concerns are high that any such large gathering would be swiftly and harshly put down by police and troops.
U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David Kramer called on all sides to avoid violence, but "there is a bigger responsibility on the part of the government -- since they are the ones with security forces, they are the ones with guns, batons and other means, tear gas -- to avoid use of force and to make sure that the election is free and fair."
"A fraudulent election will obviously not help relations, and those who would engage in that kind of activity I hope will not underestimate the resolve of the European and U.S. communities," Kramer said at a news conference at the end of a two-day visit.
The Belarussian Foreign Ministry responded Saturday by urging Washington to help keep the election free of violence.
"One can only express surprise at the State Department representative's insistence on possible 'violent protest actions in Belarus during the election campaign,'" Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Popov said in a statement. "Just what is meant here is totally incomprehensible."
Popov said the United States should share any information it might have on possible violence.
Kramer said Friday: "I'm not here pushing people to go into the streets. But if it's what people choose to do, they have a right to do it in a peaceful way."
In a speech to students at a military institute on Friday, Lukashenko portrayed himself as defending the nation's youth against foreign influences.
"Our Western opponents very well understand that the most important thing is to take ownership of the minds of the young people in order to then manipulate them and lure them into illegal activities," he said.
"They are trying to inspire them with the idea that the most important thing in life is their own advantage and pleasure."
Lukashenko has accused the United States and other Western countries of backing the mass demonstrations in the former Soviet republics of Ukraine, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan over the past two years. Those demonstrations, which all broke out after disputed elections, drove longtime leaders from power in Georgia and Kyrgyzstan and forced an election rerun in Ukraine that was won by pro-West reformer Viktor Yushchenko.
European Union-funded independent television and radio broadcast programs for Belarus will begin on Sunday, the EU executive said, as the continent's leading human rights watchdog said what it called "isolation" of the Belarussian people must end.
The news and current affairs broadcasts in Russian and Belarussian are designed to provide independent news to Belarussians ahead of the election.
The Czech Republic's foreign minister and a senior official of the Council of Europe on Thursday called on all member states of the council to support democratic forces and civil society in Belarus.
"We encourage the member states of the Council of Europe to strengthen their support for the further development of democratic forces and civil society in Belarus and to break the isolation of the Belarussian people," said a joint statement by Czech Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda and president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Rene Van der Linden, adopted at the end of a conference in Prague.
Putin will most certantly interfere in this election.
Putin will interfere in this election, just like he did in the Ukraine. I believe that the Russians will be sucessful this time, unless we threaten massive action (Sanctions) against the Russians.
I'm sure Jimmy Carter will give the election his official Okey-Dokey.
We should aim those signals into Russia soon, so we can get rid of Putin. And we should do the same into China.
I wonder if the CIA has been training the leaders of post-election demonstrations as has been extremely successful to date.
But the million man march will only work if the security forces go against orders and decide not to intervene (and if Russia stays out of it as well.)
Probably not going to happen in totalitarian Belarus.
If we have to, the US, Poland, and the UK can send in troops to keep the Belarussian government from going bonkers.
Intervention by any NATO countries in Belarus is very unlikely. Further, it would be better to allow the good people in Belarus to figure out their own fate. Even after the Orange Revolution in Ukraine, the new leadership is largely a failure and will probably lead to the "bad guys" coming back in power.
Of course Russia will be manipulating things as much as possible.
Your right. The Russian backers are expected to be the most powerful in the Ukraine, Kygirastan, and Belarus in the next elections. The only solution for real change in Ukraine and Belarus is to get Russia to reform itself.
The forces would be 90% Polish and other Eastern European troops. We would only have to provide logistics.
I hate to say it lizol, but all of the individuals I know from Belarus appear to love Lukashenko. The way they talk a large majority in the country supports him. Mind you, I would just as soon see him go.
Lukashenko is a close buddy of Vladimir Putin.
Now I know that your lying. Putin and Lukashenko consider each other as "Brothers"
ping
Putin doesn't like Lukashenko. Dyadya Luk (Uncle Onion as they call him mockingly in Russia) was Yeltsin's boy. The satrical show "Kukly" (like the show "Spitting Image") used to make great light of how Putin felt about the SovKhoz leader Lukashenko. Having said that, I think Putin and co. know they're stuck with him.
However, you're not going to see Putin interfering in this election. Why would he? Lukashenko has the thing sewn up. The only thing that will get rid of Lukashenko would be a coup or his death.
Lukashenko keeps the vets and pensioners happy by paying their pensions on time and giving them good (for that part of the world) benefits. The younger generation isn't that interested in politics because they know it will bring them trouble (unfortunately). So, as long as they don't get political they can basically do whatever they want.
Unfortunately there will not be a "million man" march in Belarus. The opposition hasn't been able to get that much interest. And regarding Russia "interfering" if there was a million man march - wouldn't happen. Especially if they saw Lukashenko being taken out. They'd wait to see who got into power and would try to play nice to keep that person from turning too "westwardly".
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.