Rice continues Belarus attack :: Charter'97 :: News

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has called for Belarus to ensure next year’s presidential election in the former Soviet state is free and fair, while also defending the rights of dissidents to hold protests. Speaking after meeting a group of Belarus dissidents on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in neighbouring Lithuania, she said next year’s poll offers "an excellent opportunity" to focus on the need for credible elections. Ms Rice said Belarus could not hide from the international spotlight. "We admire your courage and we admire your dedication," she said.

“While it may seem difficult and long, and at times far away, there will be a road to democracy in Belarus."

For their part, Belarus opposition leaders announced plans for mass demonstrations later this year to protest the disappearance of up to 30 people, including four well-known personalities.

They are opposed to the autocratic regime of President Alexander Lukashenko, who came to power in 1994.

"We know that our elections have not been elections for a long time," said Aleksander Dobrovokskiy, deputy chairman of the United Civic Party in the former Soviet republic.

"We do not intend to be playing elections any more. We intend to present an alternative and initiate mass pressure for change."

The US secretary of state declined to say whether she thought street protests were the best way to achieve change, as has happened in other ex-Soviet republics such as Ukraine and Georgia over the last year or so.

"The people of Belarus will have to make determinations about how they move forward ... the key here is that people ought to be able to protest, to speak their minds, there ought to be free media," she said.

"This is not a dark corner in which things can go on unobserved, uncommented upon and as if Belarus were somehow not a part of the European continent," she added.

Earlier in the week she described Belarus as "the last dictatorship" in central Europe and said it is "time for a change" in Belarus – comments that prompted a stern reply from Moscow.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said his country "would not advocate what some people call regime change anywhere. You cannot impose democracy from the outside."

After the pro-democracy revolutions in Georgia and Ukraine, Washington has trained its sights on its long-time nemesis Mr Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an increasingly autocratic hand since 1994.

The landlocked state of 10 million people, still heavily dependent on Russian economic subsidies, has become the latest focus of US President George W Bush`s drive to promote freedom worldwide.

Mr Bush signed the Belarus Democracy Act last October, clearing the way for US financial aid to non-governmental groups mounting reform projects as well as radio and television broadcasts aimed at Belarussians.

Ms Rice`s meeting with the Belarus dissidents drew a sharp reaction from Belarus` Deputy Foreign Minister Viktor Gaysonak.

"The people of Belarus pick their government, and the people of Belarus have the right to pick their future fate — and this is not something that can be done by Condoleezza Rice," he told reporters.

"We are not a part of someone else`s game and we are not pawns on a chess board."

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