BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
07/03/2008
Belarus Expels U.S. Ambassador, Recalls Own Ambassador
Linda Young - AHN Editor
Minsk, Belarus (AHN) - Former Soviet state Belarus has expelled the United States ambassador and recalled its own from the U.S. That move drew the ire of the White House on Friday. The White House criticized the authoritarian government, saying that the loss of ambassadors between the nations would further isolate Belarus from the West.
Belarus acted Friday in response to travel restrictions placed on its authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko by Washington and U.S. sanctions on its state-controlled oil-processing and chemicals company.
Along with ordering U.S. envoy in Minsk Karen Stewart to leave, Belarus has also recalled its envoy in Washington Mikhail Khvostov.
The U.S. had not acted alone in restricting travel of Lukashenko, and his cronies, and imposing economic sanctions on Belarus, the European Union had also done so.
In addition to those actions against the authoritarian rule in Belarus, there was a call to free political prisoners, especially opposition leader Alexander Kozulin, who ran against Mr. Lukashenko in 2006. Kozulin has been jailed since post-election violence there.
Source:
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7010262486
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