Belarus Expels US Ambassador
Source: Al Alam TV, 08-03-2008
MINSK, Belarus-- The Belarusian Foreign Ministry said Friday it has demanded that the US ambassador leave the country and recalled its ambassador in the US over Washington's economic sanctions against the ex-Soviet nation.
Washington has slapped travel restrictions on Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko and members of his inner circle, as well as financial sanctions against Belarusian authorities.
The Belarusian Foreign Ministry said its demand that US Ambassador Karen Stewart leave the country had been prompted by US sanctions imposed last fall against Belarus' state-controlled oil-processing and chemicals company, Belneftekhim.
In an angry reaction, the White House said the move was "deeply disappointing" and would serve to deepen the ex-Soviet country's isolation.
Washington has described the regime of Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko as "Europe's last dictatorship" for cracking down on dissent since his election in 1994.
The US and the EU, which also introduced economic and travel sanctions against Belarus, have made clear that Lukashenko must free political prisoners and allow more democratic freedoms before sanctions can be lifted and relations normalized.
Lukashenko began signaling a desire for better relations with the West following Russia's decision to sharply hike prices for oil exports to Belarus - exports on which the country's Soviet-style, centrally controlled economy had long depended.
The sanctions, also freezing the US assets of the Belneftekhim USA company, have harmed the firm's ability to conduct international business, and develop energy cooperation.
Belarus has almost no energy reserves of its own and is wholly dependant on Russia for oil and gas - the price of which the Kremlin has tripled over the last two years.
MINSK, Belarus-- The Belarusian Foreign Ministry said Friday it has demanded that the US ambassador leave the country and recalled its ambassador in the US over Washington's economic sanctions against the ex-Soviet nation.
Washington has slapped travel restrictions on Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko and members of his inner circle, as well as financial sanctions against Belarusian authorities.
The Belarusian Foreign Ministry said its demand that US Ambassador Karen Stewart leave the country had been prompted by US sanctions imposed last fall against Belarus' state-controlled oil-processing and chemicals company, Belneftekhim.
In an angry reaction, the White House said the move was "deeply disappointing" and would serve to deepen the ex-Soviet country's isolation.
Washington has described the regime of Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko as "Europe's last dictatorship" for cracking down on dissent since his election in 1994.
The US and the EU, which also introduced economic and travel sanctions against Belarus, have made clear that Lukashenko must free political prisoners and allow more democratic freedoms before sanctions can be lifted and relations normalized.
Lukashenko began signaling a desire for better relations with the West following Russia's decision to sharply hike prices for oil exports to Belarus - exports on which the country's Soviet-style, centrally controlled economy had long depended.
The sanctions, also freezing the US assets of the Belneftekhim USA company, have harmed the firm's ability to conduct international business, and develop energy cooperation.
Belarus has almost no energy reserves of its own and is wholly dependant on Russia for oil and gas - the price of which the Kremlin has tripled over the last two years.
- Related News
