BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

30/12/2007

Belarus threatens to kick U.S. ambassador out over broader sanctions

Reuters, The Associated Press

MINSK, Belarus: The Bush administration, which has dubbed Belarus "the last dictatorship in Europe," has imposed a series of punitive measures against Belarus.

The Belarus government will expel the U.S. ambassador and ban trade in U.S. dollars if Washington broadens sanctions against the country, the country's president, Alexander Lukashenko, said Sunday.

The Bush administration, which has dubbed Belarus "the last dictatorship in Europe," has imposed a series of punitive measures against Belarus, including a ban on Lukashenko's visiting the United States. Washington has also prohibited Americans from doing business with the Belarussian oil refiner Belneftekhim and froze the assets the company has under U.S. jurisdiction.

In mid-December, the U.S. ambassador, Karen Stewart, said Washington might extend sanctions against state companies in Belarus that she said were controlled by people responsible for infringements of democracy. Lukashenko said Sunday that if new sanctions were broad, she would be expelled.

"As soon as substantial sanctions against our economy are imposed, we will retaliate in a toughest possible way on all fronts," the Belarussian state media quoted Lukashenko as saying. "The U.S. ambassador will be thrown out first."

Lukashenko also said Belarus might eliminate the use of U.S. dollars and switch to other currencies: "We can survive without the dollar," he said. "We are building up reserves in yen and yuan. We can switch to euros."

The U.S. Embassy had no immediate comment. Belarus depends almost solely on Russia for the crude oil that it refines. Beleneftekhim controls two refineries and a potash plant and provides one-fifth of all foreign currency earnings. The United States and European Union accuse Lukashenko of harassing and jailing opponents, muzzling the media and rigging polls.

Source:

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/30/europe/belarus.php