The representative of the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs of the U.S. State Department, Daniel Russell, said at the hearing on Belarus on April 1 that the main objectives of the U.S. sanctions were to make "the authorities of Belarus release political prisoners and stop their persecution," as well as "to help those Belarusians who aspire to Democracy." But the main condition, called by the U.S. State Department for establishing relations between the countries, was the progress in democratic reforms and human rights in Belarus.
Daniel Russell emphasized that sanctions against Belarus had led to positive results in the past, reports the «Voice of America.»
In turn, Republican Congressman Chris Smith said that the U.S. and the EU had to make amplification of the sanctions due to the fact that the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko kept on ignoring calls by the international community to improve the human rights situation in the country. Chris Smith said that shortly before the presidential election in Belarus there was some easing of political pressure on the opposition, which gave hope for the situation to improve.
«But those hopes vanished on December 19. Scale of violent and cruel suppression of the post-election period surpassed all that Lukashenko had done in the past. Today, the U.S. and the EU will not try to appease Lukashenko and affect its regime through praising,» said Chris Smith.
His colleague, Republican Congressman and head of the subcommittee, Dan Burton, has said, in turn, that Alexander Lukashenko not only suppresses the freedom of his people, but also supports tyrants in other countries.» Dan Burton has pointed out in his speech that Belarus violated the economic sanctions, imposed by the international community against Iran, and according to some sources, supplied helicopters and weapons to Côte d’Ivoire to suppress demonstrations, as well as weapons and ammunition for Moammar Gadhafi’s regime in Libya.
Lukashenko is Bandit and Should Leave Office, Burton
«Belarusian regime is the latest reminder of the «Iron Curtain,» and Lukashenko is a bandit, who must leave his Office,» said the congressman.
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, and the current director of Freedom House, David Kramer, in his turn, has expressed hope that the EU leadership will be more active to support the U.S. sanctions against the Belarusian regime.
David Kramer has been supported by the Center for Carnegie Matthew Rodzhansky. According to him, the events in Belarus after December 19 worsened gravely the situation not only within the country but also isolated it from the international community. The sanctions, according to Matthew Rodzhansky, can make a difference. «Thanks to the current policy of «restart» and the warming of relations between the EU and Russia, there is a unique opportunity to coordinate actions between Moscow, Brussels and Washington, and prevent Lukashenko from dictating its terms to the West and East,» the Center for Carnegie said in his speech.
As Telegraf previously reported, the U.S. State Department announced on January 31 the introduction of unilateral sanctions against a number of Belarusian companies. For example, the U.S. revoked documents permitting U.S. citizens to transact with Lakokraska and Polotsk Steklovolokno. Later, the U.S. also imposed sanctions on the Belarusian company Belorusneft, concluded a $ 500 million contract with Iran NaftIran Intertrade Company in 2007. In addition, the U.S. also expanded the list of Belarusian citizens, banned from entering the country.
