CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
February, 25, 2003
http://charter97.org/eng/news/
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BELARUSIAN DEMOCRATS TOOK A STEP TO UNION
17:27 25/02/2004

Two days, February 23-24, more than 30 representatives of Belarusian opposition
participated in discussion in Vilnius: leaders of the European coalition "Free
Belarus" and People's coalition "Five Plus", among them chairman of the Belarusian
Social Democratic Party "Narodnaya Hramada" Mikola Statkevich, chairman of the
United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka (Lebedko), coordinator of the civil initiative
Charter'97 Andrei Sannikov, member of the deputy group "Respublika" Valery Fralow,
first secretary of the Belarusian Communist Party Syarhei Kalyakin, chairman
of the "Civil Initiatives" Viktar Karnienka, leader of the Belarusian Labour
Party Alyaksandar Bukhvostaw, Leader of the Belarusian Green Party Aleh Hramyka.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/25/razam

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GAZPROM AND BELTRANSGAZ HAVE NOT AGREED ON GAS DELIVERY TERMS YET
14:07 25/02/2004

Gazprom and Beltransgaz have not agreed on terms of future supplies of Russian
gas to Belarus, PRAIM-TASS informs. "Heads of the companies, Alexei Miller and
Pyotr Pyotukh exchanged their opinions in the framework of the new round of talks
in Moscow, however tangible results were not achieved," ITAR-TASS was told on
Tuesday by Gazprom.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/25/gazprom

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LUKASHENKO IS IN TOP-LIST OF MODERN DICTATORS
12:02 25/02/2004

This week in PARADE, contributing editor David Wallechinsky presents his list
of the world's 10 worst living dictators. Here, you can check out Wallechinsky's
"Dishonorable Mentions" list, 10 more tyrants whose deeds inspire fear and enmity.
Also, listen to an exclusive interview with Wallechinsky, and visit the Web sites
of human rights groups that keep tabs on the world's worst leaders.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/25/zlo

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BELARUS EX-PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE ANNOUNCES PRESIDENTIAL BID
17:09 25/02/2004

Andrey Klimaw, a former member of the 13th Supreme Soviet [parliament disbanded
by the Belarusian president in 1996] and an outspoken critic of Belarusian ruler
Alyaksandr Lukashenka's regime, has announced his intention to run in Belarus's
next presidential election in 2006. On 21 February Mr Klimaw asked the [opposition]
United Civic Party (UCP) Political Council to suspend his membership because
the party refused to back his presidential bid, the politician told Belapan.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/25/klimov

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INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - BELARUS UPDATE
17:06 25/02/2004

Edited by Victor Cole
Vol. 7, No.8
February 2004
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/25/update

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LUKASHENKA WANTS TO GAIN FROM BORDER WITH RUSSIA
14:51 25/02/2004, Elena Danejko, Finansovye Izvestija

In a few days a regular border between Belarus and Russia can appear  it is
envisaged by amendments to the decree of Belarusian president in force from January
of the last year. The document has all required visas already, and only a signature
of the president is needed. The assumed time of amendments' joining into force
in March, 1. "A huge strategic potential of by no means friendly quality is concentrated
along Belarus' borders," Lukashenka declared on Monday at a solemn reception
in honor of the Homeland Defendant Day. The intentional ambiguity of expression
was not an accidental one. If in he West, according to the president's thought,
enlargement of the NATO is the danger, in the "Eastern front" the problems are
of an economical character. And not only gas is the issue.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/25/luka

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INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS SUPPORTS BDG
14:02 25/02/2004

The International League for Human Rights, an international non-governmental
organization with special consultative status at UN ECOSOC, addressed an open
letter to A. Lukashenka, expressing its concern about the latest blow to independent
media and free speech in Belarus. THe human rights advocates are in particular
concerned after Belorusskaya Delovaya Gazeta (BDG), a popular Minsk-based daily,
lost an important battle in court.  
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/25/bdg

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BELARUSIAN LANGUAGE SOCIETY NOT EVICTED YET
13:41 25/02/2004

The authorities of the Partisan District of Minsk have extended contract of tenancy
until March 31 for the premises where the head office of the national civil association
"Francishak Skaryna Belarusian Language Society" is situated, BelaPAN informs.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/25/tbm

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BELTRANSGAZ SAYS TO SIGN RUSSIA GAS SUPPLIES DEAL WITHIN DAYS
12:25 25/02/2004

Belarus' natural gas pipeline operator Beltransgaz expects to sign an agreement
with the Russian gas giant Gazprom on gas supplies to Belarus "within days,"
a Beltransgaz representative told Prime-Tass Tuesday. The representative said
that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had agreed to buy gas from Gazprom
paying U.S. $50 per 1,000 cubic meters and Gazprom agreed to pay $1.02 for transporting
1,000 cubic meters of gas across the Belarus territory. In 2003 Belarus paid
$30 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas and Gazprom paid a $0.55 transit fee to Belarus.
Gazprom stopped supplies to Belarus on January 1. Russian independent suppliers
have been selling gas to Belarus since then but no long-term contracts have been
signed with them.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/25/russia

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FORMER BELARUS TV BOSS CHARGED WITH BRIBERY
12:17 25/02/2004

Former chairman of the national broadcasting company Yegor Rybakov has been officially
charged with receiving a bribe, Interfax was told at the press center of the
Belarussian Prosecutor General's Office on Tuesday. Rybakov was detained on February
13 and arrested on February 16. The Prosecutor General's Office has opened a
case of abuse of power, theft and bribe-taking from commercial companies against
Rybakov. If convicted, he faces a prison term of 7 to 15 years. The defendant
is reportedly being held at a KGB detention facility. 
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/25/tv

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BELARUS CRACKS DOWN ON CHURCHES
12:12 25/02/2004, CNSNews.com

State pressure on religious groups in the former Soviet republic of Belarus reportedly
is increasing, with Baptist pastors among the latest to be punished for leading
unregistered denominations. Since Oct. 2002, amendments to Belarus' religion
law require religious groups to undergo compulsory re-registration over a two-year
period. Groups that do not register are banned from carrying out religious activities,
and most religious meetings on private property are forbidden. Forum 18, a Norway-based
group that monitors religious persecution, reported that several Baptist pastors
had been fined for hosting unregistered congregations.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/25/cns

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ZMITSER SALAWIOW GETS SUMMONED TO POLICE POINT
12:10 25/02/2004, "VIASNA"

On 24 February 2003 major Kudzinaw phoned to the human rights activist Zmitser
Salawiow and summoned him to a police point. There the police showed him a copy
of the statement of Navapolatsk City Executive Committee where the authorities
asked to administratively punish the human rights activist for maintaining illegal
structures of the liquidated Human Rights Center "Viasna". According to Salawiow,
a copy of the human rights bulletin "Nasha Prava" with the ad "In the case if
your rights are violated you can apply for free support to the human rights activist
Zmitser Salawiow" was attached as evidence. He said, that according to article
27 of the Constitution of Belarus he had the right not to give any information
that could be used against him.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/25/salawiow

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KREMLIN KNOWS WHO MAKES BELARUSIANS FREEZE
12:09 25/02/2004

In a statement spread on Tuesday evening the Kremlin made it clear who is answerable
for so-called "gas problems" between Russia and Belarus. Commenting Lukashenka's
press secretary's statements on this topic, press secretary of Russian president
Alexsei Gromov underlined: "Miss Pyatkevich is seriously mistaken". "Contacts
with Belarus on gas supplies issue are carried out at the level of economic bodies,
but it looks as if it is clear who makes Belarusian people freeze," said Gromov.
By this Gromov refuted Natallya Pyatkevich's words that high leadership of Russia
allegedly is accountable for "gas blockade" of the Belarusian people.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/25/moroz

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BELARUSIAN PRESIDENT'S PRESS SERVICE: DECISION ON GAS BLOCKADE WAS MADE BY PUTIN
PERSONALLY
12:07 25/02/2004

The Belarusian authorities do not connect the dismissal of Kasyanov's cabinet
with recent cutoff of gas supplies to Belarus. It was said by press secretary
of the Belarusian President Natallya Pyatkevich, who expressed the position of
President Alyaksandar Lukashenka. "The decision about gas blockade of the entire
nation during the frost of 200 C, could have been made only by Russian president
personally," said press secretary.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/25/putin

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GASIFORM UNION
12:05 25/02/2004, Leonid Radzikhovsky, Rossijskaya Gazeta

The most recent scandal with Lukashenka is obviously not the very last one. The
whole history of the fraternal alliance of "flies and cutlets" consists of a
series of scandals alternated with affected vows of eternal love and loyalty
 they supplement each other very well. No doubt that this running on the spot
to the blissful goal would continue. It is clear why the "union state" is impossible
 just because it cannot be ever. Not a single state in the world would give
up its sovereignty of its own free will.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/25/union

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CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
February, 25, 2003
http://charter97.org/eng/news/