Senator Lieberman: The whole world should continue exerting pressure on Lukashenka

Joseph Lieberman called on Belarusians not to lose hopes in their fight for freedom.

Independent Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman, the chair of   the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs,  chair of commissions on military affairs and Internet security, an active supporter of democracy in Belarus, gave an interview for Radio Svaboda.

Mr Senator, you took your place on Capitol Hill in 1989, in the time of radical changes in the Soviet Union. Democratization developed differently in different post-Soviet countries. For example, this month, Alyaksandr Lukashenka beat Leonid Brezhnev's record – 18 years in power. What does this process shows – the limited capabilities of democracy in the post-Soviet area or weakness of the West in the sphere of promoting democratic values and the rule of law?

This is a very important and difficult question. We had great hopes, as I look back at my past after 24 year in the US Senate. I started my career of a senator in the time when the Berlin wall was destroyed and the Soviet Union collapsed. Those were important events and I had the honour to see and participate in them. Some countries managed to turn their dreams of freedom, independence and sustainability into reality. Poland, the Czech Republic and Baltic States can be recalled in this regard.

As for Russia, it disappoints. This country restricts human rights and democracy for its citizens.

But the worst situation is that of Lukashenka in Belarus. Unfortunately, this situation sets boundaries of our influence. We try to influence this regime and fight for human rights and democracy for the people of Belarus, but the reality is that such a dictator as Lukashenka, who holds on power and often, but not always, has support from Moscow, is able to survive. It is like a museum of dictatorship and totalitarianism, survival in the worst sense of the word.  

We, America and the European Union, tried to influence on high-ranking officials via sanctions by restricting their freedom of travel in the world, we released plenty of statements and condemnations, but they didn't work. I understand that people striving for freedom or being kept in jails in Belarus could lose hopes, but the contemporary history, especially the history of the Soviet Union shows how many efforts and how much courage, which didn't give people a hope for many years, were needed to turn dreams into reality in the countries I've  mentioned.

I personally support the idea that we and the rest of the world should continue exerting pressure on Lukashenka and do all possible to support the opposition (I call them freedom fighters) until the day, which definitely will come sooner or later, when the people of Belarus will have the opportunities and freedoms they have right to have.

President Obama approved economic and political sanctions against the Belarusian regime at the beginning of the year. The Congress approved the Belarus Democracy Act. Russia was criticized for supporting the Stalinist regime in Belarus at the Republican Party Convention this week. In your view, what changes in Russia-Belarus relations can occur in the US policy after the presidential election?

On the whole, the Belarusian opposition forces may be sure that Washington will support the opposition and freedom fighters in Belarus regardless whether president Obama will be re-elected or Governor Romney will be elected. In one of his speeches on foreign policy, Governor Romney named throwing the gauntlet to Russia and promoting human rights across the world as his priorities. These ideas will continue to enjoy strong support in America regardless the outcome of the election in November.

You introduced the Belarus Democracy Act in the Senate last year. One of its provisions called to remove the 2014 World Ice Hockey Championship from Minsk. The International Ice Hockey Federation confirmed in May the championship would be held in Minsk. Will the US national team visit Belarus?

I am disappointed with the fact that the International Ice Hockey Federation didn't change its decision. I know their arguments were that sport should stay out of politics. But the reality is so that if they hold the championship in Minsk, they will give the acting Belarusian regime not only financial support, but will also express something like international confidence which the regime does not deserve. I hope we will be able to focus our efforts on the American hockey team. I know it is a rather controversial question, because the decision of President Carter not to send the American team to Olympics in Moscow provoked mixed emotions. But the consequence of American's hockey team participation in the international tournament in Minsk in 2014 will  be a concession in the struggle for freedom of the people of Belarus. It's not worth It.

Is there a difference between the approaches of the EU and the US? The EU did not join the sanctions on oil products trade. Germany had trained Belarusian police to suppress rallies since 2008 till spring 2012. What is your view on the efficiency and difference between involving the regime into cooperation and its legitimization, sanctions and dialogues?

I think this kind of cooperation with the regime is harmful, because it clearly gives the regime to understand it can continue infringing on civil rights. I was very disappointed to hear about the German agreement. If it had expired in 2010 before the presidential election, it could have been excused. But as it had been in force until this year, it should be condemned.

Former presidents Vaclav Havel and George Bush sent Christmas greetings to Belarusian political prisoners on your initiative last year. 18 months ago, you read out the names of the people arrested in Minsk after the presidential election. What would you like to tell them today?

I ask you not to lose hopes. We stand with you! It was a great honour for me to read the names of the people unfairly jailed in 2010 on the air of Radio Liberty. I was very honoured and I'd like to tell them we know their names.

Our rejection of the acting Belarusian authorities is based on American fundamental principles, universal human rights and principles of law-governed state and democracy. These are not only general principles, but also the people standing behind them. Changes occur only when people don't fear to do what was done by those who are now in jails.

As Martin Luther King once said, the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice. I'd like those unfairly imprisoned to know that we know their names. I want Lukashenka to know that we know their names. We will not stop reminding their names until these people are freed, until all people of Belarus are free and democratically elected authority is set up in the country.