BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

21/02/2006

Belarus president tells law enforcers to ensure stability during elections

MOSCOW, Feb. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko urged law enforcement agencies on Tuesday to ensure stability in the run-up to next month's presidential election.

"We are well aware of the pressure being exerted on Belarus today -- ranging from overt blackmail to attempts by the West to interfere in the country's internal affairs," Lukashenko said, quoted by the Interfax news agency.

The law enforcement agencies will have to operate "in an extremely complex environment" during the coming period, he said.

"Our key task is to protect the Belarusian people from the imposition of foreign will, lies and violence," Lukashenko said.

Lukashenko, who is seeking a third term as president, will faceindependent candidate Alexander Milinkevich, who is supported by the opposition, Liberal Democratic Party leader Sergei Gaidukevichand Social Democratic Party leader Alexander Kozulin in the vote scheduled for March 19.

The Belarusian leader accused the opposition of trying to "heighten tensions, undermine the foundation of the state and society and smear our spiritual values."

Lukashenko, who was first elected in 1994, got the go-ahead to run for a third term through a constitutional referendum in 2004 and is widely seen as the most favored in the vote. His current term ends in September 2006.

Source:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-02/21/content_4209513.htm

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