Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 143912 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AORC AS AF AM AJ ASEC AU AMGT APER ACOA ASEAN AG AFFAIRS AR AFIN ABUD AO AEMR ADANA AMED AADP AINF ARF ADB ACS AE AID AL AC AGR ABLD AMCHAMS AECL AINT AND ASIG AUC APECO AFGHANISTAN AY ARABL ACAO ANET AFSN AZ AFLU ALOW ASSK AFSI ACABQ AMB APEC AIDS AA ATRN AMTC AVIATION AESC ASSEMBLY ADPM ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG AGOA ASUP AFPREL ARNOLD ADCO AN ACOTA AODE AROC AMCHAM AT ACKM ASCH AORCUNGA AVIANFLU AVIAN AIT ASECPHUM ATRA AGENDA AIN AFINM APCS AGENGA ABDALLAH ALOWAR AFL AMBASSADOR ARSO AGMT ASPA AOREC AGAO ARR AOMS ASC ALIREZA AORD AORG ASECVE ABER ARABBL ADM AMER ALVAREZ AORCO ARM APERTH AINR AGRI ALZUGUREN ANGEL ACDA AEMED ARC AMGMT AEMRASECCASCKFLOMARRPRELPINRAMGTJMXL ASECAFINGMGRIZOREPTU ABMC AIAG ALJAZEERA ASR ASECARP ALAMI APRM ASECM AMPR AEGR AUSTRALIAGROUP ASE AMGTHA ARNOLDFREDERICK AIDAC AOPC ANTITERRORISM ASEG AMIA ASEX AEMRBC AFOR ABT AMERICA AGENCIES AGS ADRC ASJA AEAID ANARCHISTS AME AEC ALNEA AMGE AMEDCASCKFLO AK ANTONIO ASO AFINIZ ASEDC AOWC ACCOUNT ACTION AMG AFPK AOCR AMEDI AGIT ASOC ACOAAMGT AMLB AZE AORCYM AORL AGRICULTURE ACEC AGUILAR ASCC AFSA ASES ADIP ASED ASCE ASFC ASECTH AFGHAN ANTXON APRC AFAF AFARI ASECEFINKCRMKPAOPTERKHLSAEMRNS AX ALAB ASECAF ASA ASECAFIN ASIC AFZAL AMGTATK ALBE AMT AORCEUNPREFPRELSMIGBN AGUIRRE AAA ABLG ARCH AGRIC AIHRC ADEL AMEX ALI AQ ATFN AORCD ARAS AINFCY AFDB ACBAQ AFDIN AOPR AREP ALEXANDER ALANAZI ABDULRAHMEN ABDULHADI ATRD AEIR AOIC ABLDG AFR ASEK AER ALOUNI AMCT AVERY ASECCASC ARG APR AMAT AEMRS AFU ATPDEA ALL ASECE ANDREW
EAIR ECON ETRD EAGR EAID EFIN ETTC ENRG EMIN ECPS EG EPET EINV ELAB EU ECONOMICS EC EZ EUN EN ECIN EWWT EXTERNAL ENIV ES ESA ELN EFIS EIND EPA ELTN EXIM ET EINT EI ER EAIDAF ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECTRD EUR ECOWAS ECUN EBRD ECONOMIC ENGR ECONOMY EFND ELECTIONS EPECO EUMEM ETMIN EXBS EAIRECONRP ERTD EAP ERGR EUREM EFI EIB ENGY ELNTECON EAIDXMXAXBXFFR ECOSOC EEB EINF ETRN ENGRD ESTH ENRC EXPORT EK ENRGMO ECO EGAD EXIMOPIC ETRDPGOV EURM ETRA ENERG ECLAC EINO ENVIRONMENT EFIC ECIP ETRDAORC ENRD EMED EIAR ECPN ELAP ETCC EAC ENEG ESCAP EWWC ELTD ELA EIVN ELF ETR EFTA EMAIL EL EMS EID ELNT ECPSN ERIN ETT EETC ELAN ECHEVARRIA EPWR EVIN ENVR ENRGJM ELBR EUC EARG EAPC EICN EEC EREL EAIS ELBA EPETUN EWWY ETRDGK EV EDU EFN EVN EAIDETRD ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ ETEX ESCI EAIDHO EENV ETRC ESOC EINDQTRD EINVA EFLU EGEN ECE EAGRBN EON EFINECONCS EIAD ECPC ENV ETDR EAGER ETRDKIPR EWT EDEV ECCP ECCT EARI EINVECON ED ETRDEC EMINETRD EADM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID ETAD ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA EMINECINECONSENVTBIONS ESSO ETRG ELAM ECA EENG EITC ENG ERA EPSC ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EIPR ELABPGOVBN EURFOR ETRAD EUE EISNLN ECONETRDBESPAR ELAINE EGOVSY EAUD EAGRECONEINVPGOVBN EINVETRD EPIN ECONENRG EDRC ESENV EB ENER ELTNSNAR EURN ECONPGOVBN ETTF ENVT EPIT ESOCI EFINOECD ERD EDUC EUM ETEL EUEAID ENRGY ETD EAGRE EAR EAIDMG EE EET ETER ERICKSON EIAID EX EAG EBEXP ESTN EAIDAORC EING EGOV EEOC EAGRRP EVENTS ENRGKNNPMNUCPARMPRELNPTIAEAJMXL ETRDEMIN EPETEIND EAIDRW ENVI ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC EDUARDO EGAR EPCS EPRT EAIDPHUMPRELUG EPTED ETRB EPETPGOV ECONQH EAIDS EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR EAGRBTIOBEXPETRDBN ESF EINR ELABPHUMSMIGKCRMBN EIDN ETRK ESTRADA EXEC EAIO EGHG ECN EDA ECOS EPREL EINVKSCA ENNP ELABV ETA EWWTPRELPGOVMASSMARRBN EUCOM EAIDASEC ENR END EP ERNG ESPS EITI EINTECPS EAVI ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID ELTRN EADI ELDIN ELND ECRM EINVEFIN EAOD EFINTS EINDIR ENRGKNNP ETRDEIQ ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD EAIT ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ EWWI ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEAIR ECONEFIN EHUM EFNI EOXC EISNAR ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM EMW ETIO ETRDGR EMN EXO EATO EWTR ELIN EAGREAIDPGOVPRELBN EINVETC ETTD EIQ ECONCS EPPD ESS EUEAGR ENRGIZ EISL EUNJ EIDE ENRGSD ELAD ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO ENTG ETRDECD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS
KPKO KIPR KWBG KPAL KDEM KTFN KNNP KGIC KTIA KCRM KDRG KWMN KJUS KIDE KSUM KTIP KFRD KMCA KMDR KCIP KTDB KPAO KPWR KOMC KU KIRF KCOR KHLS KISL KSCA KGHG KS KSTH KSEP KE KPAI KWAC KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KPRP KVPR KAWC KUNR KZ KPLS KN KSTC KMFO KID KNAR KCFE KRIM KFLO KCSA KG KFSC KSCI KFLU KMIG KRVC KV KVRP KMPI KNEI KAPO KOLY KGIT KSAF KIRC KNSD KBIO KHIV KHDP KBTR KHUM KSAC KACT KRAD KPRV KTEX KPIR KDMR KMPF KPFO KICA KWMM KICC KR KCOM KAID KINR KBCT KOCI KCRS KTER KSPR KDP KFIN KCMR KMOC KUWAIT KIPRZ KSEO KLIG KWIR KISM KLEG KTBD KCUM KMSG KMWN KREL KPREL KAWK KIMT KCSY KESS KWPA KNPT KTBT KCROM KPOW KFTN KPKP KICR KGHA KOMS KJUST KREC KOC KFPC KGLB KMRS KTFIN KCRCM KWNM KHGH KRFD KY KGCC KFEM KVIR KRCM KEMR KIIP KPOA KREF KJRE KRKO KOGL KSCS KGOV KCRIM KEM KCUL KRIF KCEM KITA KCRN KCIS KSEAO KWMEN KEANE KNNC KNAP KEDEM KNEP KHPD KPSC KIRP KUNC KALM KCCP KDEN KSEC KAYLA KIMMITT KO KNUC KSIA KLFU KLAB KTDD KIRCOEXC KECF KIPRETRDKCRM KNDP KIRCHOFF KJAN KFRDSOCIRO KWMNSMIG KEAI KKPO KPOL KRD KWMNPREL KATRINA KBWG KW KPPD KTIAEUN KDHS KRV KBTS KWCI KICT KPALAOIS KPMI KWN KTDM KWM KLHS KLBO KDEMK KT KIDS KWWW KLIP KPRM KSKN KTTB KTRD KNPP KOR KGKG KNN KTIAIC KSRE KDRL KVCORR KDEMGT KOMO KSTCC KMAC KSOC KMCC KCHG KSEPCVIS KGIV KPO KSEI KSTCPL KSI KRMS KFLOA KIND KPPAO KCM KRFR KICCPUR KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KFAM KWWMN KENV KGH KPOP KFCE KNAO KTIAPARM KWMNKDEM KDRM KNNNP KEVIN KEMPI KWIM KGCN KUM KMGT KKOR KSMT KISLSCUL KNRV KPRO KOMCSG KLPM KDTB KFGM KCRP KAUST KNNPPARM KUNH KWAWC KSPA KTSC KUS KSOCI KCMA KTFR KPAOPREL KNNPCH KWGB KSTT KNUP KPGOV KUK KMNP KPAS KHMN KPAD KSTS KCORR KI KLSO KWNN KNP KPTD KESO KMPP KEMS KPAONZ KPOV KTLA KPAOKMDRKE KNMP KWMNCI KWUN KRDP KWKN KPAOY KEIM KGICKS KIPT KREISLER KTAO KJU KLTN KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KQ KWPR KSCT KGHGHIV KEDU KRCIM KFIU KWIC KNNO KILS KTIALG KNNA KMCAJO KINP KRM KLFLO KPA KOMCCO KKIV KHSA KDM KRCS KWBGSY KISLAO KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KCRI KX KWWT KPAM KVRC KERG KK KSUMPHUM KACP KSLG KIF KIVP KHOURY KNPR KUNRAORC KCOG KCFC KWMJN KFTFN KTFM KPDD KMPIO KCERS KDUM KDEMAF KMEPI KHSL KEPREL KAWX KIRL KNNR KOMH KMPT KISLPINR KADM KPER KTPN KSCAECON KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KCSI KNRG KAKA KFRP KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KQM KQRDQ KWBC KMRD KVBL KOM KMPL KEDM KFLD KPRD KRGY KNNF KPROG KIFR KPOKO KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KHIB KOEM KDDG KCGC
PGOV PREL PK PTER PINR PO PHUM PARM PREF PINF PRL PM PINS PROP PALESTINIAN PE PBTS PNAT PHSA PL PA PSEPC POSTS POLITICS POLICY POL PU PAHO PHUMPGOV PGOG PARALYMPIC PGOC PNR PREFA PMIL POLITICAL PROV PRUM PBIO PAK POV POLG PAR POLM PHUMPREL PKO PUNE PROG PEL PROPERTY PKAO PRE PSOE PHAS PNUM PGOVE PY PIRF PRES POWELL PP PREM PCON PGOVPTER PGOVPREL PODC PTBS PTEL PGOVTI PHSAPREL PD PG PRC PVOV PLO PRELL PEPFAR PREK PEREZ PINT POLI PPOL PARTIES PT PRELUN PH PENA PIN PGPV PKST PROTESTS PHSAK PRM PROLIFERATION PGOVBL PAS PUM PMIG PGIC PTERPGOV PSHA PHM PHARM PRELHA PELOSI PGOVKCMABN PQM PETER PJUS PKK POUS PTE PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PERM PRELGOV PAO PNIR PARMP PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PHYTRP PHUML PFOV PDEM PUOS PN PRESIDENT PERURENA PRIVATIZATION PHUH PIF POG PERL PKPA PREI PTERKU PSEC PRELKSUMXABN PETROL PRIL POLUN PPD PRELUNSC PREZ PCUL PREO PGOVZI POLMIL PERSONS PREFL PASS PV PETERS PING PQL PETR PARMS PNUC PS PARLIAMENT PINSCE PROTECTION PLAB PGV PBS PGOVENRGCVISMASSEAIDOPRCEWWTBN PKNP PSOCI PSI PTERM PLUM PF PVIP PARP PHUMQHA PRELNP PHIM PRELBR PUBLIC PHUMKPAL PHAM PUAS PBOV PRELTBIOBA PGOVU PHUMPINS PICES PGOVENRG PRELKPKO PHU PHUMKCRS POGV PATTY PSOC PRELSP PREC PSO PAIGH PKPO PARK PRELPLS PRELPK PHUS PPREL PTERPREL PROL PDA PRELPGOV PRELAF PAGE PGOVGM PGOVECON PHUMIZNL PMAR PGOVAF PMDL PKBL PARN PARMIR PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PDD PRELKPAO PKMN PRELEZ PHUMPRELPGOV PARTM PGOVEAGRKMCAKNARBN PPEL PGOVPRELPINRBN PGOVSOCI PWBG PGOVEAID PGOVPM PBST PKEAID PRAM PRELEVU PHUMA PGOR PPA PINSO PROVE PRELKPAOIZ PPAO PHUMPRELBN PGVO PHUMPTER PAGR PMIN PBTSEWWT PHUMR PDOV PINO PARAGRAPH PACE PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOVAU PGOF PBTSRU PRGOV PRHUM PCI PGO PRELEUN PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PMR PRTER PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PRELNL PINOCHET PAARM PKPAO PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA POPDC PRELC PHUME PER PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PAUL PHALANAGE PARTY PPEF PECON PEACE PROCESS PPGOV PLN PRELSW PHUMS PRF PEDRO PHUMKDEM PUNR PVPR PATRICK PGOVKMCAPHUMBN PRELA PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PBT PAMQ

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 07MINSK758, EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - AUGUST 31, 2007

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07MINSK758.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07MINSK758 2007-09-05 11:51 2011-08-26 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Minsk
VZCZCXRO8591
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMRE RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSK #0758/01 2481151
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 051151Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY MINSK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6447
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MINSK 000758 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ECON ENRG BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - AUGUST 31, 2007 
 
 
1.  The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy 
Minsk. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
Civil Society 
------------- 
 
- Several Demonstrations for Kozulin Release Banned (para. 2) 
- Opposition Youth Fined for Leaflets (para. 3) 
- Police Detain Youths for Pro-Opposition Graffiti (para. 4) 
- Prominent Human Rights NGO Denied Registration (para. 5) 
- Monastery Conversion Suspended (para. 6) 
- Six Parties Face Closure by Justice Ministry (para. 7) 
- Police Disrupt Meeting with Outlawed Pastor in Gomel (para. 8) 
- Police in Brest Briefly Detain Youth Activists (para. 9) 
- Supreme Court Dissolves Belarusian Green Party (para. 10) 
- Two Polish Traffickers Arrested in Grodno (para. 11) 
 
Domestic Economy 
---------------- 
 
- Beltransgaz to Expand Gas Storage Capacity (para. 12) 
- Statistics Ministry Releases Potash Export Data (para. 13) 
- Economics Ministry to Raise Ag Procurement Prices (para. 14) 
 
International Trade 
------------------- 
 
- American Investors to Launch Juice Production (para. 15) 
- Belarus Continues Negotiating Loan with Russia (para. 16) 
 
- Quote of the Week (para. 17) 
 
------------- 
Civil Society 
------------- 
 
2.  Several Demonstrations for Kozulin Release Banned 
 
City authorities across Belarus have denied applications to 
demonstrate for the release of former presidential candidate 
Alexander Kozulin.  Authorities have rejected 25 of nearly 50 
applications so far, with the other applications still pending. 
 
3.  Opposition Youth Fined for Leaflets 
 
On August 24, the Minsk district court fined youth opposition 
activist Pavel Baranovsky 186,000 rubles (USD 90) for distributing 
opposition leaflets in central Minsk.  Police arrested Baranovsky on 
July 24, and he was later sentenced to three days in jail on petty 
hooliganism charges.  Baranovsky admitted his guilt, noting he was 
passing out leaflets because he wanted "Belarus to become a member 
of Europe". 
 
4.  Police Detain Youths for Pro-Opposition Graffiti 
 
On August 25, police in Nesvizh, Minsk Oblast, arrested four 
opposition affiliated youths for allegedly writing "Belarus is 
Sacred" on a fence.  Authorities released one suspect, a minor, but 
detained the other three to await charges of petty hooliganism.  A 
court later acquitted the three from those charges, though they are 
expected to face administrative charges of damaging a structure. 
 
5.  Prominent Human Rights NGO Denied Registration 
 
On August 24, the Ministry of Justice denied registration for human 
rights NGO Vyasna.  Reasons cited by the Ministry include that the 
NGO has the same name as an organization liquidated in 2003, the 
group's charter contained numerous errors, including "vague 
statements of its activities and goals," misspelled names, wrong 
birthdates, and that 20 of the 69 founders had convictions for 
various felonies.  Vyasna founder and lawyer Vladimir Labkovich 
expressed doubt any appeals would be fruitful, saying the denial was 
"politically motivated".  The group submitted all the required 
paperwork for registration on July 23, and provided the Ministry 
with a copy of the UN Human Rights Committee's assertion that the 
NGO's liquidation was illegal. 
 
6.  Monastery Conversion Suspended 
 
Minsk authorities have suspended the conversion of a former 
Bernardine monastery into a hotel and entertainment center, but made 
no mention of any decision to return the monastery building to the 
Catholic community.  Catholic religious organizations have made 
several appeals for its return.  Belarusian Christian Democracy 
Party coordinator Pavel Nozdrya expressed satisfaction over the 
authorities' decision, and added that community's appeals yielded 
successful results.  Since March 2007, Catholic community members 
and volunteers gathered over 20,000 signatures in support of return 
 
MINSK 00000758  002 OF 003 
 
 
of the former monastery to the church. 
 
7.  Six Parties Face Closure by Justice Ministry 
 
On August 24, the Ministry of Justice issued official warnings to 
six registered opposition parties -- the Belarusian Popular Front, 
the Belarusian Social Democratic Party "Gramada," the Belarusian 
Social Sports Party, the Belarusian Environmental Party of Greens, 
and the Republican Party and the Social Democratic Party of People's 
Concord -- for failing to fulfill the requirement that all 
registered parties have chapters in Minsk and at least four other 
regional capitals.  The Ministry announced that the parties will 
face closure if they fail to comply with the regulations.  In 
response to these warnings, certain parties complained that while 
they had chapters in the regional capitals, these chapters lacked 
officially registered addresses due to stringent regulations that 
govern the location of party chapter headquarters. 
 
8.  Police Disrupt Meeting with Outlawed Pastor in Gomel 
 
On August 26, police broke up a meeting between civil society 
activists, members of the Belarusian Language Society, and Ernest 
Sabila, a pastor of the outlawed Belarusian Evangelical Church.  The 
police broke into a house in Gomel which served as local chapter 
headquarters of the United Civic Party, claiming that a robbery 
suspect was thought to be inside.  Once inside, the officers 
demanded identification from all present and detained several of the 
meeting's participants.  The Gomel chapter of the United Civic Party 
has filed a complaint with the District Prosecutor's office 
regarding the intrusion. 
 
9.  Police in Brest Briefly Detain Youth Activists 
 
On August 26, police detained three youth activists in Brest for 
putting up fliers that called for the release of Pavel Severinets, 
an opposition leader recently sentenced to 15 days in prison. 
Police released the youths after making them write explanations of 
their activities and warning them that they could face minor civil 
offence charges in relation to the incident. 
 
10.  Supreme Court Dissolves Belarusian Green Party 
 
On August 29, the Supreme Court of Belarus officially dissolved the 
Belarusian Environmental Party of Greens. The ruling is the result 
of a lawsuit brought against the party by the Ministry of Justice 
that stated that it did not fulfill regulations regarding its 
charter, number of chapters, and location of chapter headquarters. 
The party did not contest the lawsuit, having already decided in 
March 2007 to dissolve on its own. 
 
11.  Two Polish Traffickers Arrested in Grodno 
 
On August 29, Grodno police arrested two Polish citizens at a 
Belarusian border crossing in connection with trafficking women for 
sexual exploitation.  The Poles rented an apartment in Grodno, and 
according to police reports, organized a contest to pick out three 
girls to be trafficked to their brothel in a Polish city of Sanok. 
One of the traffickers was reportedly a former police officer. 
 
---------------- 
Domestic Economy 
---------------- 
 
12.  Beltransgaz to Expand Gas Storage Capacity 
 
On August 27, the Belarusian gas monopoly Beltransgaz announced 
plans to construct a new natural gas storage facility in Mozyr.  The 
facility will nearly double the monopoly's available storage 
capacity for gas, currently 660 million cubic meters, and greatly 
increase its daily output of natural gas, currently at 4 million 
cubic meters.  Construction of the facility will begin in 2008, and 
will help Belarus avoid gas deficits during the winter peak as well 
as ensure a continuous supply of gas to Europe. 
 
13.  Statistics Ministry Releases Potash Export Data 
 
On August 27, the Statistics Ministry reported that the average 
price for Belarusian potash fertilizer in the first half of 2007 
rose 8.5 percent from the year before to 276 dollars per ton. 
During the same period Belarus exported 2.157 million tons of 
potash, a 53.8 percent rise from the previous year.  The largest 
importers of Belarusian potash in 2007 include China (529,000 tons), 
Brazil (369,000 tons), and the United States. (235,200 tons). 
 
14.  Economics Ministry to Raise Ag Procurement Prices 
 
On August 28, the Economics Ministry announced that, in response to 
the rising cost of energy and fertilizer, it will increase the 
procurement price for milk by 5 percent and the store price for milk 
by 2 percent.  Prices for bread and vdka will also be increased by 
 
MINSK 00000758  003 OF 003 
 
 
3 percent in the near future. 
 
------------------- 
International Trade 
------------------- 
 
15.  American Investors to Launch Juice Production 
 
Oscar Chemerinsky, the acting director of the International Finance 
Corporation's Agribusiness Department, told reporters on August 28 
that the newly-established Detroit Belarus Juice Company will launch 
juice production in the city of Bobruysk before the end of the year. 
 IFC will issue a USD 8 million loan, while Detroit Investments 
Group will provide USD 12 million to establish the facility.  The 
producers plan to use mostly local inputs, and hope to increase 
consumption and reduce prices in Belarus' 8 million deciliter juice 
market.  In 2002, the group established the Detroit Belarus Brewing 
Company, now Belarus' second largest brewery. 
 
16.  Belarus Continues Negotiating Loan with Russia 
 
Belarus' Vice-Premier Andrey Kobyakov has resumed talks with his 
Russian counterpart Sergey Naryshkin on securing a USD 1.5 billion 
loan to mitigate higher Russian natural gas prices.  An anonymous 
source in the Russian government alleges that the deal has been 
cleared on the political level, though certain technical issues 
remain.  Russia insists on 8.5 percent interest and stocks in 
Belarusian companies as collateral. 
 
---------------------- 
17.  Quote of the Week 
---------------------- 
 
Belarusian writer Svetlana Aleksiyevich on Belarus and Aleksandr 
Lukashenko: 
 
"Belarus has socialism at its worst -- a veritable mixture of prison 
and kindergarten." 
 
"We'll be paying back the gas debt, and as a result, everything will 
be sold, plundered and gobbled up by tycoons -- not by Belarusian, 
but by Russian tycoons.  Lukashenko's goal is power and he will pay 
for it." 
 
Stewart