BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

02/06/2008

US educational center in Belarus closes amid diplomatic rift

The Associated Press

MINSK, Belarus: A U.S. educational center in Belarus says it has closed.

The American Center for Education and Research's decision to shut comes amid an escalating diplomatic tug-of-war between the U.S. and the ex-Soviet nation.

A spokeswoman for the center declined comment Monday on reasons behind the closure. The U.S. Embassy has also refused comment.

U.S.-Belarusian relations have been on a downward spiral since Washington imposed financial sanctions on a major state-controlled oil and chemical company last fall.

The U.S. has urged authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko to release all political prisoners and end a crackdown on dissent as a condition for improving ties.

Source:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/02/europe/EU-GEN-Belarus-US-NGO.php

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