VZCZCXRO6419
RR RUEHAST
DE RUEHSK #0860/01 2220449
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 100449Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY MINSK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4891
INFO RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MINSK 000860 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ECON EPET EAGR ENRG BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - AUGUST 11, 2006 
 
Ref:  Minsk 764 
 
MINSK 00000860  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1.  The following are brief items of interest compiled by 
Embassy Minsk. 
 
----------------------- 
International Relations 
------------------------- 
 
¶2.  Lukashenko Pushes for Stronger UN Role 
 
On August 1, President Lukashenko asserted that Belarus seeks to 
strengthen the role of the United Nations on the grounds that "the 
United Nations belongs to all countries, not only to the 
Americans."  He emphasized that his view is shared by an 
overwhelming majority of African, Latin American and Asian 
countries and noted that Belarus has recently intensified 
cooperation with these countries.   Lukashenko added, "We entered 
the level of strategic partnership with China last year.  This is 
worth a lot." 
 
--------------- 
Local Elections 
--------------- 
 
¶3.  Opposition Party to Field 100 Candidates in Local elections 
 
On August 2, Belarusian Social Democratic Party "Gramada" (BSDP) 
Deputy Chairman Vladimir Nistyuk reported to independent media that 
his party plans to field some 100 candidates and will focus on 
social issues in local elections tentatively scheduled for January. 
He explained, "unlike presidential or parliamentary votes, 
parliamentary elections are not a competition among party 
ideologies and platforms but rather a fight for votes from specific 
people living in a specific election district."    According to 
Nistyuk, BSDP is considering cooperation with other opposition 
parties.  He noted that the Brest regional BSDP party had signed 
cooperation agreements with the local chapters of the pro- 
democratic Belarusian Party of Communists and the United Civic 
Party (UCP) and that a similar accord was reached between BSDP and 
UCP chapters in Grodno. 
 
¶4.  Opposition Communist Party Ordered to Present Membership List 
 
On August 1, Belarus' Justice Ministry ordered the opposition 
Belarusian Party of Communists (BPC) to surrender data regarding 
the membership of its chapters, including the names of all members. 
According to BPC Central Committee Secretary Valery Ukhnalev, the 
leadership of the pro-government Communist Party of Belarus (CPB) 
urged the ministry to check the BPC membership.  Ukhnalev 
maintained that the order violated Belarus' Political Parties Law, 
which requires parties to present members' lists to authorities 
only during founding conventions.  Last month, the CPB proclaimed a 
merger with the BPC and persuaded the GOB to re-register BPC 
grassroots organizations as CPB chapters (reftel).  Ukhnalev noted, 
"The authorities failed to split the party through the merger 
conference.  Now they are going to resort to their usual practice 
and try to liquidate the BPC through court." 
 
------------- 
Civil Society 
------------- 
 
¶5.  Lukashenko State Security Council to Set Radio Frequencies 
 
On July 31, President Lukashenko signed a decree creating a 
State Commission for Radio Frequencies overseen by the State 
Security Council (SSC).  The new commission is to be headed by 
SSC Deputy Chairman Yuri Kryvasheyev.  Previously, a committee 
under the Ministry of Communication and Information assigned 
radio frequencies.  In effect, the decree gives Lukashenko more 
direct control over radio frequencies. 
 
¶6.  Police Return 85,000 Seized Copies of Opposition Newspaper 
 
On August 2, Minsk police department finally returned more than 
85,600 copies of the pro-Communist party's newspaper "Tovarishch" 
that police seized two days before the March 19 presidential 
elections.  In April, the district police department informed the 
editors of Tovarishch that the newspapers were not illegal and 
requested them to recover the newspapers.  However, the newspaper 
staff insisted that police return the two tons of paper at the 
GOB's expense. 
 
¶7.  Pro-Government Youth Union Leader Resigns 
 
On August 1, Mikhail Orda resigned as the leader of the pro- 
government Belarusian National Youth Union (BNYU).  Orda did not 
offer an explanation for his resignation.  The pro-government youth 
leader had headed BNYU since March 2003.  Orda's replacement  is 
BNYU deputy head Leonid Kovalyov.  During the 2000 parliamentary 
 
MINSK 00000860  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
elections, Orda won a seat in the lower chamber of Belarus' 
National Assembly.  He remains the Deputy Chairman of the Standing 
Committee on State System Building, Local Self-government and Rules 
of Procedure.  Following the presidential elections, the EU 
included Orda on a list of Belarusian officials barred from 
receiving EU visas because of their involvement in election fraud 
and voter intimidation. 
 
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Society 
------- 
 
¶8.  Gomel Beaches Closed after Testing Positive for Bacteria 
 
Authorities in the southeastern city of Gomel ordered all major 
beaches closed after tests indicated high levels of intestinal 
bacteria.   Water samples from the Sozh River showed a high count 
of a type of bacteria commonly found in fecal matter.  Ingesting 
such bacteria can cause stomach illness.  According to authorities, 
high water temperatures and litter caused the water bacteria 
populations to soar.  The beaches will reopen only after a 
directive by the city's chief sanitary expert. 
 
¶9.  UN Reports 30 Percent Rise in Sickness among Belarusian 
Teenagers 
 
On August 1, the United Nations Fund for Population Activities 
(UNFPA) reported that the incidence of diseases among Belarusian 
teenagers rose by 30.9 percent in the last 10 years.  Circulatory 
diseases skyrocketed by 114 percent while bone and muscle ailments 
spiked by 83.6 percent.  The number of teenagers diagnosed with 
cancer rose by 74 percent.  Teenage diabetes cases grew by 23.7 
percent and mental disorders by 40 percent.  UNFPA observed a four- 
fold rise in alcohol and drug use among people between 15 and 24 
years of age over the past five years.  The organization also noted 
that the sickness rate was higher among girls.  According to UNFPA, 
the sharp rise in the teenage sickness rate has adversely affected 
Belarusian demography.  Belarus' population shrank by 49,900 in 
¶2005. 
 
------- 
Economy 
------- 
 
¶10.  Agriculture Ministry Reports 1.8 Million Tons of Grain 
Gathered in Belarus 
 
According to the Belarusian Agriculture Ministry, as much as 1.796 
million tons of grain was gathered in Belarus as of August 2, 
almost 550,000 tons more than in 2005.  The ministry reported that 
502,570 tons were gathered in the Minsk region, 420,670 in the 
Grodno region, 418,250 tons in the Brest region, 245,850 tons in 
the Gomel region, 125,360 tons in the Mogilyov region and 83,450 
tons in the Vitebsk region.  However, the average grain yield per 
hectare dropped 296 kilograms to 2,943 kilograms from 2005.  The 
ministry projects that grain harvesters will collect between 6.7 
and 7.2 million tons of grain by September 1, a ten percent 
increase from grain collection last year. 
 
¶11.  Belavia to Offer E-tickets This year 
 
Belarus' national airline Belavia signed an agreement with the U.S. 
company Sabre Airline Solutions corporation to begin electronic 
ticketing on December 1, 2006.  Sabre offers a service called 
"SabreSonic Ticket" that allows airlines access to reduce costs of 
e-ticket distribution and database maintenance.  Moreover, Belavia 
will establish a link to SabreSonic's universal electronic ticket 
hub that connects carriers and their partner airlines.  The 
paperless ticket technology will likely require an upgrade of 
Belavia's website to allow the sale of tickets via the Internet and 
a frequent flier program.  Sabre's reservations system is used by 
more than 100 airlines across the world.  Some 50 airlines have 
access to the SabreSonic e-ticket system. 
 
----------------- 
Quote of the Week 
----------------- 
 
¶12.  While meeting with Belarusian heads of mission abroad on 
August 1, President Lukashenko offered the following guidance 
regarding Western criticism of GOB policies: 
 
"You know, sometimes when we get some nasty article, which was 
probably paid by our evil-wishers in The Washington Post or some 
other similar paper, we start discussing this in our country.  This 
does not benefit our relationship with the United States.  We 
should not pay attention to some trifles because it really 
irritates the US Embassy.  We should be more responsible and more 
far-seeing.  Once again, I underline this: if we ever have to 
criticize, we should do this in a civilized manner and based on 
facts." 
 
MINSK 00000860  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
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