Europe to Close Borders For High Belarusian Officials :: Charter'97 :: News

According to unofficial information some states of the European Union are set to close their borders for the highest officials of Belarus. In this way The EU is to react for the refusal of the official Minsk to prolong the term of accreditation of the acting head of the OSCE mission in Belarus Michel Rivolier. The USA also insist on more strict isolation of the country. Unofficially the USA have already informed about their readiness to support any sanctions against the Belarusian authorities? “Vremya novostei” informs.

Rivolier has left Minsk on Monday, after his visa had expired. Belarusian FM considered that there are no grounds for its extension. On Tuesday morning Michel Rivolier has made a special report on situation in Belarus in the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna. On its results representatives of several countries of the OSCE have mare statements expressing their protest.

The EU statement reads: “The European Union continues to consider Mr. Rivolier the acting head of the Advisory and Monitoring Mission in Belarus… The EU wants to underline that its own relations with Belarus cannot and would not be separated from the OSCE role”. The USA statement contains harsher wording. It reads that the refusal of accreditation of Rivolier “throws Belarus back from the desire to end isolation”.

Minsk in response accuses the OSCE mission of political engagement and insists on limiting the mandate of the mission. “The OSCE Advisory and monitoring mission in Belarus can continue its work in Belarus on the bais of the acting mandate”, - said the Belarusian representative in the OSCE Viktar Haisyonak at the session of the Permanent Council.

However, the OSCE seems to disregard the opinion of Minsk. On Wednesday the appointment of Eberhard Haiken a representative of the acting chairman of thee OSCE was announced. His candidature was considered earlier for the head of the Minsk mission. However the Belarusian side refused to consent to this application and issue a visa to Haiken.

International sanctions have already been employed against Belarus in summer 1998 when Lukashenka trow away the ambassadors of the Western countries from the settlement “Drazdy”, where he wanted to found his residence. After that all Belarusian top officials were entered into “black list” of the EU and the USA.