“Revolution -- I think you said the word, “revolution” -- freedom is universal. Freedom is etched in everybody`s soul. And the idea of countries helping others become free, I would hope that would be viewed as not revolutionary, but rational foreign policy, as decent foreign policy, as humane foreign policy,” stated US President, George W. Bush at the joint press conference after the talks with the presidents of the Baltic states in Riga on May 7. “And…this generation has the opportunity to leave behind lasting peace for the next generation, by working on the spread of freedom and democracy. And the United States has got great partners in doing what I think is our duty to spread democracy and freedom with the three nations represented here,” told the American President.
Andrei Klimov, MP of the 13th Supreme Soviet, refused to learn the materials of the criminal case brought up against him. The materials were given to him by the investigator of the investigative committee of the Interior Affairs department of Minsk executive committee on May 6. Previously the political prisoner refused to give evidence during interrogations.
“Lukashenka’s absence at the parade on Victory Day in Moscow is not accidental. I think that it had been said to him directly that his presence is unwelcome. Only one person could have told that, Russian President Vladimir Putin,” told the international coordinator of the civil initiative Charter’97, member of the Council of Civil Initiatives “Free Belarus” Andrei Sannikov. According to the human rights activist, Putin did not want an awkward situation with Belarusian dictator’s presence at the tribune. Besides, recently he was saying many offensive things not only about the western leaders, but about the CIS presidents as well.
Dominating the foreign policies of the South Caucasus countries are their relations with the United States and Russia and related, the way in which relations between Washington and Moscow affect American and Russian policy towards the Caucasus.
Belarus opposition leader Anatoly Lebedko visited Georgia on Tuesday and Wednesday, where he sought revolutionary advice from Georgian officials on the sidelines of US President George Bush’s address to the crowds at Tbilisi’s Freedom Square.
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said in televised statements today that his government is committed to helping the United States spread democracy worldwide, including in Belarus. Saakashvili made the comments before tens of thousands of Georgians who had assembled on Tbilisi`s Freedom Square to hear visiting U.S. President George W. Bush.
For 60 years the word "Yalta" has meant betrayal and abandonment. The diplomatic accord reached between Britain, the Soviet Union and the United States in that sleepy Black Sea resort relegated millions of people to a ruthless tyranny.
When Russian president Vladimir Putin handed over the keys for his prized 1956 white Volga to George W. Bush and suggested he take the wheel, the US president looked aghast. Yet after bumping along the drive at Mr Putin`s residence, he said: "I`m having so much fun we`re going for another lap," as the two waved happily. The image of the two men gingerly motoring along, with Mr Bush in the driver`s seat, neatly summed up US-Russia relations during Mr Bush`s four-day, four-country trip.
Visiting leader of the Belarus opposition Anatoly Lebedko, who chairs the United Civil Party, said in Tbilisi that he does not rule out the possibility of holding talks with U.S. President George Bush during the latter’s visit to Tbilisi on May 9-10.
On May 7, human rights organisation Amnesty group 77 and youth organisation PeaceQuest distributed leaflets on the four cases of political disappearances of Yuri Zaharenko, Viktor Gonchar, Anatoly Krasovsky and Dimitry Zavadsky in Möllevångstorget in Malmö, Sweden.
The active investigative measures were renewed on the case of the disappearance of Dzmitry Zavadski, cameraman of the Russian ORT TV channel. On the solicitation of Hary Pahaniaila, defense lawyer of Zavadski’s relatives, the investigation searches for the body in the towns of Orsha and Krupki. The General Procurator’s Office of Belarus tells nothing about the details of this search, referring to the secret of investigation.
On 7 May Basmanny court of Moscow continued the consideration of the cases of the participants of the protest action, held in front of Belarusian Embassy in Russia. Its activists demanded from Belarusian authorities to release Belarusian and Ukrainian citizens who were put in jail for participation in Chernobyl Way action in Minsk.
On 6 May eight persons, arrested for participation in the opposition’s action of 26 April, were released from the detention center in Akrestsin Street in Minsk. Half of them were Ukrainians and the other half – Belarusians. On 26 April about 40 persons were detained. 14 Russian citizens, 5 Ukrainians and 8 Belarusians were sentenced to arrest.
On 6 May a picket was to have taken place in the town of Kapyl. The local activist of democratic movement Viktar Dashkievich intended to hold it because the authorities didn’t timely paid to him his disability pension.
The moment seemed ripe for revolution. Rose-laden protesters in Georgia had ousted leader Eduard Shevardnadze; mass public demonstrations had brought an opposition democrat to power in neighboring Ukraine; even the small republic of Kirgizstan had dumped its autocratic government. So why not my country, wondered Aliaksandr Atroshchankau, as he joined a pro-democracy demonstration in front of this capital`s Republican Palace recently.
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