BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

18/12/2006

Belarus authorities ask Lithuania to give out their spy

The Belarus authorities have asked Lithuania to return home Belarus citizen Sergei Monich, suspected in espionage against Poland who was recently arrested in Vilnius, daily Telegraf reports. In exchange the official Minsk suggests to stop criminal prosecution of the high-ranking Lithuanian official Albinas Januska, accused of a plot with the purpose of overthrow of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

According to the Belarus service of Radio Liberty, referring to the Baltic News Agency (BNS), on December 19 Vilnius district court will consider a question on Sergey Monich's extradition to Poland, as requested by the Polish authorities. This very day an issue of granting of protection for Albinas Januska will be considered at a joint session of the parliamentary committees of foreign affairs and national security and defense of Lithuania.

Januska, the former Secretary of the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, currently an adviser of the Prime Minister of Lithuania, is accused by the Belarus KGB of preparation of carrying out revolutionary activities in Belarus in March, 2006.Belarus KGB has brought a criminal case and its materials on the Lithuanian diplomat have been transferred to the Interpol.

Now, according to the BNS news agency, in exchange for Sergey Monich, the Belarus authorities have promised "to leave Januska in peace", however at the last week's session of parliamentary committee on foreign affairs of Lithuania a possibility of such exchange was rejected.

Polish national prosecutor Janusz Kaczmarek said earlier that the Belarusian citizen arrested on allegations of espionage was trying to glean information about Polish intelligence agents, he has been in contact with several Polish citizens for two years, offering money for classified information, including names of intelligence officials. The arrested Monich is being held in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, on a one-month detention order.

Source:

http://www.axisglobe.com/article.asp?article=1168

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