VZCZCXRO8575
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSK #0950/01 3201703
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161703Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY MINSK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6654
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1731
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MINSK 000950 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ECON ENRG BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - November 16, 2007 
 
REF: MINSK 865 
 
¶1.  The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy 
Minsk. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
Civil Society 
------------- 
 
- BPF Convention to Be Held in Minsk (para. 2) 
- Apparent Neo-Nazis Disrupt Polish Embassy Reception (para. 3) 
- GOB Bans Subscription to Major Russian Periodicals (para. 4) 
- Prominent NGO Threatened with Eviction (para. 5) 
- Activists Detained, Leaflets Confiscated (para. 6) 
- Union of Leftist Parties Denied Registration Appeal (para. 7) 
- Exit Stamps to Be Replaced by Database (para. 8) 
 
International Relations 
----------------------- 
 
- Swedish NGO Representative Banned Entry to Belarus (para. 9) 
 
Domestic Economy 
---------------- 
 
- Business Climate Index Down (para. 10) 
- Regime Waffles on Export of Foodstuffs (para. 11) 
 
International Trade 
------------------- 
 
- Russian Bank Completes Purchase of Belarus Shares (para. 12) 
 
Quote of the Week (para. 13) 
----------------- 
 
------------- 
Civil Society 
------------- 
 
¶2.  BPF Convention to Be Held In Minsk 
 
Belarusian Popular Front (BPF) Leader Vintsuk Vyachorka informed the 
media November 13 that Minsk city authorities granted permission for 
the BPF to hold a convention there December 8-9.  Viktor 
Ivashkevich, Deputy Chairman of the BPF had previously announced 
that the group intended to hold the meeting on Minsk's October 
Square should indoor facilities be denied.  The party was compelled 
to hold a meeting on Belarusian soil during 2007, or be in violation 
of current laws governing political parties. 
 
¶3.  Apparent Neo-Nazis Disrupt Polish Embassy Reception 
 
About ten youth attempted November 11 to disrupt a reception 
organized by the Polish embassy in Minsk marking the country's 
Independence Day.  The young people chanted slogans and spat in the 
direction of a Polish diplomat and a Polish-language magazine editor 
in attendance.  They dispersed after raising their arms in a 
Nazi-style salute. 
 
¶4.  GOB Bans Subscription to Major Russian Periodicals 
 
Belarus postal services provider and printed media distribution 
monopoly Belpochta removed three popular Russian periodicals from 
its 2008 subscription list.  Belpochta official Irina Ostrovskaya 
explained that the company has the right to choose periodicals based 
on "economic expediency" and noted the number of Russian periodicals 
available for subscription dropped from 8,328 in 2007 to 4,449 in 
¶2008.  The Information Ministry representative denied allegations of 
censorship, though analysts believe the three papers -- 
"Kommersant," "Moskovskiy Komsomolets," and "Nezavisimaya Gazeta" -- 
were banned due to their critical reporting of President 
Lukashenko's policies. 
 
¶5.  Prominent NGO Threatened with Eviction 
 
Belarusian Society for the Preservation of Historical and Cultural 
Heritage Chairman Anton Ostapovich informed the media November 9 
that authorities threatened his NGO with eviction from its premises 
in central Minsk.  The state-run owner of the office building cited 
rent arrears as the reason.  The NGO signed a one-year lease on June 
1, 2007 but the lessor unexpectedly raised the rent by 50 percent 
one month later.  Ostapovich maintained the NGO would pay off the 
debt shortly and linked the eviction warrant to the NGO's efforts to 
preserve historic architecture in Minsk's old town. 
 
¶6.  Activists Detained, Leaflets Confiscated 
 
Police officers briefly detained two opposition activists, Vasiliy 
 
MINSK 00000950  002 OF 003 
 
 
Polyakov and Igor Sluchek, in Gomel November 10.  Police released 
the activists after an hour of questioning, but confiscated 1,500 
leaflets urging members of parliament to meet with constituents to 
discuss social benefits cuts.  Polyakov stated "authorities react 
painfully to any manifestation of discontent with their policies" 
and expressed doubt that the police would return the leaflets. 
 
¶7.  Union of Leftist Parties Denied Registration Appeal 
 
The Supreme Court November 14 dismissed an appeal filed by the 
Belarusian Party of Communists (BPC), Belarusian Women's Party 
Nadzeya [Hope], and the Belarusian Social-Democratic Party Gramada 
(BSDP-G) challenging a previous registration denial.  The Supreme 
Court judge maintained that registration paperwork was invalid since 
Nadzeya was deregistered on October 1 (reftel).  BPC Leader Sergey 
Kalyakin countered that Nadzeya was liquidated after the Union held 
its founding convention. 
 
¶8.  Exit Stamps to Be Replaced By Database 
 
Dmitry Levchenko, Head of the Belarusian Interior Ministry's 
Citizenship and Migration Department announced November 9 that 
Belarus will abolish its exit stamp system.  The system will be 
replaced by an electronic database of individuals who are 
temporarily denied travel abroad.  Reasons for denial include having 
access to state secrets, facing criminal prosecution, having 
outstanding financial commitments and "a number of other 
categories."  The plan calls for all 59 border checkpoints to have 
access to the database by year's end. 
 
----------------------- 
International Relations 
----------------------- 
 
¶9.  Swedish NGO Representative Banned Entry to Belarus 
 
Minsk airport border guards November 12 refused entry to Olof Palme 
International Center representative Nataliya Alekseyeva. 
Alekseyeva, who holds Russian and Swedish citizenship, was the only 
person in the delegation denied entry and was given no explanation 
for the decision.  The delegation came to discuss a project on 
assistance to drug and alcohol abusers in Gomel and Svetlogorsk. 
Alekseyeva had visited Belarus many times previously without 
incident. 
 
---------------- 
Domestic Economy 
---------------- 
 
¶10.  Business Climate Index Down 
 
Belarus' National Bank announced November 9 that the country's 
business climate index (BCI) decreased from 28.8 percent in August 
to 18.7 percent in September.  The BCI measures the percentage of 
business leaders who view the current and expected business climate 
as positive, and is compiled by surveying CEOs of the country's two 
thousand largest business entities. Domestic demand and net profits 
slowed down over the month. Through November, CEOs surveyed 
indicated they expect declines in production, demand and employment. 
 
 
¶11.  Regime Waffles on Export of Foodstuffs 
 
Belarus' Agriculture Ministry announced November 9 that the 
government has suspended all exports of pork in order to meet 
domestic demand.  In November, President Lukashenko called on 
Belarusian agricultural concerns to increase milk and meat exports 
in order to take advantage of a worldwide increase in the price of 
foodstuffs and reduce the rising trade deficit.  The export ban 
reportedly will be lifted some time next year once domestic demand 
is fully supplied. 
 
------------------- 
International Trade 
------------------- 
 
¶12.  Russian Bank completes purchase of Belarus Shares 
 
Russia's Vneshekonombank has completed the purchase of 100 percent 
of the shares in Belarus' Belvneshekonombank (BelVEB).  The Russian 
company's share had previously been 54 percent.  President Aleksandr 
Lukashenko and Vneshekonombank CEO Vladimir Dmitriyev reached the 
agreement to transfer 100 percent ownership of Belarus' sixth 
largest bank in December 2006. 
 
---------------------- 
¶13.  Quote of the Week 
---------------------- 
 
President Lukashenko during a motivational speech to his cabinet 
 
MINSK 00000950  003 OF 003 
 
 
members: 
 
"Unfortunately, I have the distinct impression that this current 
government is getting bogged down.  I would not like to have to 
resort to rotating my staff, but you need to understand that your 
job is not simply to draw up schedules and to write reports, but to 
seriously exert effort so that society actually can see indications 
of your activity." 
 
Stewart