VZCZCXRO3603
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSK #1030/01 3511426
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 171426Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY MINSK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6731
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1764
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 001030 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KPAO BO
SUBJECT: TO ROCK OR NOT TO ROCK? 
 
REF: 04 Minsk 1189 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  Following a banned rock concert November 14, several blacklisted 
rock musicians met with Chief State Ideology Officer and Deputy Head 
of the Presidential Administration Oleg Proleskovskiy November 21. 
Proleskovskiy acknowledged the alleged ban, committed to lifting it, 
and encouraged the musicians to refrain from participating in 
opposition events.  The visit raised heated debate in internet and 
print media.  Few voices overtly welcomed the meeting.  The 
musicians mostly were criticized for betraying their audience, 
following GOB orders, and becoming supporters of the regime.  The 
diverse reaction suggests the GOB may offer dialogue as a means to 
further divide civil society.  While the talks occurred three weeks 
ago, the Presidential Administration has yet to cancel the ban.  End 
Summary 
 
Make Music Not Politics 
----------------------- 
 
¶2.  On November 14, 2007, BKGB officers reportedly annulled 
permission for a rock concert at a nightclub.  The action came after 
authorities had recently lightened up on a de facto ban preventing a 
number of rock bands and singers from legally performing in Belarus. 
 To clarify the situation, rock musicians Pete Paulau, Lyavon 
Volski, Alyaksandr Kullinkovich, Ihar Varashkevich, and folk 
musician Aleh Hamenka accepted Proleskovskiy's invitation to meet 
and speak at a press conference November 23 following the meeting. 
According to Paulau, Proleskovskiy apologized for the unwritten ban, 
committed to dialogue, and noted President Lukashenko had sanctioned 
the meeting.  Kullinkovich called Proleskovskiy "an acceptable 
person" who welcomed and respected the musicians' opinions.  He 
described the regime as "bloody" and was surprised the official made 
no attempts to "shut him up." 
 
¶3.  The musicians reportedly rejected Proleskovskiy's offer to 
participate in the concert "Rock for Belarus" to be aired on 
state-owned television.  Volski emphasized they neither talked 
politics nor concluded an agreement; however, Proleskovskiy 
recommended that they not play at opposition events.  The musicians 
emphasized that as common citizens they did not support the regime, 
but never expressed their opposition in their lyrics.  Hamenka noted 
they also touched upon broader issues of modern Belarusian culture 
at the meeting.  He underlined that the musicians are "creators" not 
"politicians" and only engage in "cultural politics."  Despite 
expressed skepticism about the meeting's possible outcome, Paulau 
maintained the GOB was ready to compromise.  He also admitted they 
could have been called "to be used" but made no steps forward to 
change their perspectives and beliefs. 
 
¶4.  Paulau also participated in a roundtable November 27 to discuss 
modern music and "ways to survive" organized by the pro-presidential 
newspaper "Sovietskaya Belarus."  He again reiterated that the 
system worked against certain musicians preventing them from earning 
a living.  Paulau noted he did not ask for help from the GOB and 
expected no hindrance.  The only place available to rent for his 
band to play is a 60-person nightclub in central Minsk. 
Nevertheless, the band would gather up to 6,000 fans if it were not 
blacklisted. 
 
Is Rock-n-Roll Dead? 
-------------------- 
 
¶5.  The musicians' meeting with a top GOB official continues to 
raise heated public debate and fierce criticism.  Many prominent 
artists and civil society leaders lashed out at them.  Opposition 
Free Theater Director Nikolay Khalezin called the meeting "amoral" 
and the musicians "weak" for seeking the GOB's favor and funding. 
Renowned rock singer Kasya Kamotskaya suggested it was "a 
cat-and-mouse dialogue" and said politicians should be responsible 
for negotiating with the GOB.  Freelance journalist and human rights 
advocate Irina Khalip vehemently criticized the meeting with 
Proleskovskiy in an internet article entitled "Rock-n-Roll is Dead." 
 Khalip claimed the musicians went for "grub" and "crumbs," betrayed 
their fans, and lost respect for their courage and civic stands. 
She maintained the musicians failed to defend the rights of banned 
rock groups and to put forward political claims for the release of 
prisoners of conscience.  Music critic Maksim Zhbankov sarcastically 
noted the meeting served as a search for a new business partner not 
"a political demobilization" of rockers who "simply scanned the 
market." 
 
Supporters Protest Reasonableness of Rock Musicians 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶6.  A few ardent supporters of the rock musicians welcomed the 
meeting with Proleskovskiy as a step toward mutual understanding and 
a sign of "reasonable pragmatism."  Rock concert promoter Vitaliy 
 
MINSK 00001030  002 OF 002 
 
 
Supranovich elaborated that the GOB should perceive dissident 
musicians as their citizens, and "we should accept them as our 
government."  He defended the "terrorized" musicians saying it was 
impossible to take a neutral stand in dictatorial Belarus whether in 
the opposition or pro-regime camp.  Prominent poet Genadz Buraukin 
urged against hasty conclusions and expressed trust in the musicians 
taking steps beneficial for Belarus and its culture.  Acclaimed 
playwright Andrey Kureichik supported the musicians saying they 
managed to "rise above foolish politicians and their shallow 
interests."  Kureichik praised the possible lifting of the ban and 
called it "the first step to rock music revival." 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7.  Securing the loyalty of rock bands has been on the minds of 
apparatchiks throughout the CIS since Ukraine's "Orange Revolution" 
when ethno-pop star and Eurovision Song Contest Champion Ruslana 
performed at opposition demonstrations.  Russian officials sought 
"detente" with their rockers in March 2005 and Belarusian officials 
hoped for the same in organizing this meeting.  Some officials say 
superiors praised Proleskovskiy for the meeting and suggested that 
the musicians would no longer play "at the U.S. Ambassador's 
residence for hours."  [Note: This refers to the independent music 
festival sponsored by the Embassy and held this September at the 
EMR.  End note.]  Some Minsk pundits labeled the Belarusian 
musicians "beggars" who fundamentally "adjusted" political views to 
suit GOB needs.  In addition, a vehement discussion on the 
suitability of dialogue with the GOB divided dissidents into two 
camps. 
 
¶8.  Comment cont.  Unfortunately, while the musicians emphasized the 
fact that they did not concede to GOB offers, they also failed to 
identify clearly the purposes of their visit to the Presidential 
Administration.  Except for invitations to take part in state TV 
Christmas shows, the black list remains in place and most doubt that 
it will be lifted anytime soon.  This is a cautionary tale for those 
who support dialogue with the GOB for its own sake, without clear 
demands.  End comment. 
 
Stewart