BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

16/03/2006

Germany tells Belarus to stop meddling in election campaign

BERLIN - German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Thursday called on the government of Belarus to stop hindering the ongoing campaign for the Belarusian elections.

"Increasing reports that members of the (Belarusian) opposition are being arrested and other disruptions of the election campaign fill me with great concern," said Steinmeier in a statement.

Steinmeier urged the government of Belarus to "immediately end all obstruction of the election campaign."

"Protection of opposition rights is a precondition for free and fair elections," he said.

Steinmeier also called on the government of Belarus to stop blocking the entry of international election observers being sent to the country.

Authoritarian Belarusian President Aleksander Lukashenko is standing for re-election in the March 19 vote.

DPA

Source:

http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=52&story_id=28493&name=Germany+tells+Belarus+not+to+meddle+in+election+campaign

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