BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

24/05/2006

Lukashenko threatens ban on overflight

From correspondents in Minsk

PRESIDENT Alexander Lukashenko suggested today he might ban Western flights over Belarus in response to sanctions against his former Soviet state in connection with his disputed re-election.

Mr Lukashenko issued his threat in his annual state of the nation address to parliament in which he rejected any notion of a change in the policies denounced in the West and refused to consider any contact with his opponents.

"Let them fly over the Baltic states or Ukraine. We ought to close the main route through," Mr Lukashenko told parliament.

"Perhaps we will lose something here. But we must show them that we are proud people."

The United States and European Union have barred entry to Mr Lukashenko and other officials in response to what they say was rigging in Mr Lukashenko's March re-election.

The president's latest comment was almost certainly in response to last month's refusal by Canada and the United States to refuel a plane carrying Belarussian Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky to and from Cuba.

Mr Lukashenko said Belarus would make a legal challenge to the sanctions following the election in which he was credited with 83 per cent of the vote to six per cent for his nearest rival.

"Who under international conventions is empowered to limit freedom of movement?" he said. "Did a court rule that Lukashenko or Sidorsky were criminals? There is no such ruling."

The president, in power since 1994, said he had no intention of speaking to the opposition which staged unprecedented rallies for four days after the election before they were dispersed.

More than 600 protesters were jailed for up to 15 days. Opposition leaders, including his main poll rival, Alexander Milinkevich, were jailed briefly after subsequent protests.

"I am prepared for dialogue with an opposition which has proper aims of protecting the state and its people. This is no opposition, they are morons," he said.

"What sort of dialogue can there be when they call for economic sanctions against the Belarussian people?"

Mr Lukashenko, supported by voters fearful of what they see as instability in other ex-Soviet states, said he favoured creation of a political party backing his administration, but would not initiate it.

Source:

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,19240103%255E1702,00.html