The policy of sanctions against the authorities of Belarus of Belarus, prolonged by the US administration, "was invented not to change the regime, but to change the policy of the regime", David Kramer, Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights in George Bush's Presidential Administration, declared. The expert emphasized that "this is very important difference".
«I support very much the decision of the President (Barack Obama — Telegraf) to extend these sanctions. Sanctions were imposed in 2006 because of the Belarusian government treatment to its citizens. Some of the sanctions were revoked after the release of the internationally recognized «prisoners of conscience» in 2008. But the treatment of the Belarusian government to its people continues to be rigid and offensive in the field of human rights. Therefore I think that the president made the correct decision, and I approve it», the American politician told the Belarus service of Radio Liberty.
David Kramer reminded that the USA still have no ambassador in Minsk since «Belarus expelled her from the country in 2008». The politician considers that the USA had to reduce staff of embassy to five persons while there were more than 30 workers before. «We answered to Minsk steps as any other government would have done», the ex-representative of the US State Department said.
«Alexander Lukashenko’s regime knows what to do to improve the relations with the USA and the West. It has to stop infringement of human rights and liberalize public life. However, I am afraid that the situation will worsen before the presidential election», Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State considers.
David Kramer also has noticed that he didn’t agree with the Belarusian Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ point of view on extension of the sanctions. As Telegraf informed, the representative of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Belarus called the US sanctions «alienated from real life» and «confrontational by their nature».
