BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

14/02/2007

Zimbabwe seeks to strengthen ties with Belarus

ZIMBABWE, whose foreign missions are said to be suffering due to lack of foreign currency resulting in the closure of some embassies, is strengthening its ties with Belarus, a former constituent of the USSR whose President Aleksander Lukashenko, is largely seen as Europe's last dictator.

Zimbabwe's ambassador to Russia, Phelekezela Mpoko, met in Moscow with Vasiliy Dolgolev, the Belarusian ambassador to Russia, to discuss issues surrounding the need to expand contacts between the two states.

A Belarusian lawyer's website, BelTA, said Mpoko, at the meeting described relations between Belarus and Zimbabwe as traditionally good and expressed readiness to present credentials to the president of Belarus.

"The Zimbabwean diplomat noted his country valued highly the quality of the Belarusian farm machines and was interested in importing the Belarusian tractors and fertilizers."

Mpoko said Zimbabwe would love to set up joint productions of farm machines and joint educational projects, among others.

"Dolgolev confirmed readiness of this country to promote mutually beneficial cooperation with Zimbabwe and stressed the need to establish all-level contacts. Dolgolev and Mpoko also talked about the struggling Belarusian industry.

"Within the framework of the meeting the two diplomats shared their views concerning international problems: drawbacks of the existing unipolar world order; the necessity to pursue independent policy and to protect the national interests," the website reported.

After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991 and has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet republics. Lukanshenko has during the past few years steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means that include government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, and religion continue.

Like Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, the Belarusian leader is accused of heavily cracking down on the opposition, imposing restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, and peaceful assembly.

A continuing crackdown on youth organisations opposing Lukashenko's authoritarian rule of Lukashenko saw many arrests of teenagers Monday. Belapan news agency reported that police officers and KGB agents raided a private house outside the Belarusian capital Minsk and nearby locations nearby over the weekend arresting more than 30 members of the banned student political group Zadzninochanne Belaruskikh Studentau (ZBS).

ZBS is dedicated to Belarusian nationalism and the eventual overthrow of Lukashenko's regime. The Belarusian Supreme Court declared ZBS illegal in 2001.

Since then ZBS meetings have taken place underground, usually under the cover of social gatherings in private houses.

Belarus is currently struggling with a crippling economic crisis caused by its dependency on Russia and growing pressure from the West to end its self-imposed isolation.

Though viewed by many as Russia's poodle, the Belarusian President has in recent weeks alternately defied Russia over a number of issues, flirted with Europe and stressed his determination to go it alone leading to widespread speculation that this may the beginning of the end for the autocratic ruler.

Source:

http://www.zimbabwejournalists.com/story.php?art_id=1758&cat=1

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