CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
February, 24, 2003
http://charter97.org/eng/news/
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RUSSIA AND BELARUS RESUMED TALKS ON GAS SUPPLIES
11:33 24/02/2004

Russian vice prime minister and Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin and Finiabe Minister
of Belarus Mikalai Korbut are expected to have talks on state credit for paying
for gas supplies on Tuesday, the Department of State Information reported to
RIA Novosti.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/24/postavki

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NINE YOUNG FRONT ACTIVISTS ARRESTED IN MINSK
10:41 24/02/2004

All participants of the action carried out in the second part of the day on February
23 by the unregistered organization Young Front in front of the US Embassy were
detained by police. As BelaPAN was informed by the Young Front, nine protesters
came to the Embassy to inform the world community about anti-Semitic policy of
the Belarusian authorities. The participants of the picket were detained, but
after a while released.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/24/mf

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NATIONAL FLAG OVER BELARUSIAN CAPITAL
13:03 24/02/2004

White-red-white flag was hanged by "Zubr" activists on 23 of February in Suharevo
residential area in Minsk. The flag was hanged on wire on height of twelve-storied
building. Earlier authorities were unable to take away flags that had been hanged
in this way for some days and even weeks. Hanging national flags raise people
spirit and give them hope and believe in victory over dictatorship.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/24/flag

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LUKASHENKO AGAINST OVER-POLITICIZING RUSSIAN GAS SUPPLIES
11:59 24/02/2004

Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko has spoken against over-politicizing
negotiations on supplies of Russian gas to Belarus. "If someone in Russia wants
to over-politicize this issue, let them do it. We view this as a matter [to be
resolved by] business companies," Lukashenko said at a working meeting on Monday.
The president was informed about a position the government worked out at the
meeting concerning imports of all energy resources, primarily natural gas. Lukashenko
called for "not yielding to provocation by the opposition, which is trying, as
usual, to benefit from the conflict. If they or someone in Moscow want to take
advantage of this theme and yell about it - give them the go-ahead. But as soon
as it runs counter to our law, we must categorically curb this," the president
said.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/24/luka

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BELTRANSGAZ TO EVALUATED BY ONE OF WORLD'S LARGEST AUDITING COMPANIES
11:56 24/02/2004

By the middle of March Belarus plans to complete agreement with Gazprom on an
independent auditing company to evaluate Beltransgaz price, said Belarusian deputy
Economy Minister Aleh Melnikaw, informed Radio Svaboda. It is likely that the
evaluator is to be chosen from four world's largest auditing companies. According
to previous information, the evaluation is to take from three to six months and
would cost from 50 thousands dollars to 1% of the enterprise's price.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/24/beltransgaz

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BELARUS TO FOLLOW AWACS FLIGHTS OVER LATVIA AND ESTONIA
11:38 24/02/2004

Belarussian air defense units will follow the flight of a NATO AWACS reconnaissance
plane that will fly over Latvia and Estonia on February 23-25, a source in the
Belarussian Defense Ministry told Interfax on Monday. The source expressed the
hope that the plane would not fly too close to the Belarussian border. "The declared
mission does not warrant this," he said.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/24/awacs

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UCP DEMANDS LUKASHENKA'S RESIGNATION
11:15 24/02/2004

The cutoff of Russian gas supplies allowed by Lukashenka's government endangered
power security of Belarus, told the United Civil Party in its Monday special
statement on the gas supplies problems in Belarus. The UCP demands resignation
of Lukashenka as the main culprit of the large foreign policy failure.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/24/ucp

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CCP-BPF MEMBERS DETAINED IN VITSEBSK
10:53 24/02/2004

Uladzimier Pleschanka and Alyaksandar Salawyan, the Belarusian Popular Front-Conservative
Christian Party members, were detained for unsanctioned picket and for the content
of the posters they brought to the Vitsebsk regional executive committee. Pleschanka
held an announcement "Collection of signatures against union treaty, illegally
signed by Alyaksandar Lukashenka", and Alyaksandar Salawyan had a placard "By
participating in elections you support the present regime".
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/24/bnf

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CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
February, 24, 2003
http://charter97.org/eng/news/