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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 000074 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ECON ENRG BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - February 1, 2008 
 
¶1.  The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy 
Minsk. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
Civil Society 
------------- 
 
- Expelled Activist Drafted into Military (para. 2) 
- New Life Church Receives Warning (para. 3) 
- Activists Jailed for Unsanctioned Rally (para. 4) 
- New Generation Protestants Fined (para. 5) 
- Belarusian Christian Democracy Denied Registration (para. 6) 
 
International Trade 
------------------- 
 
- Ministry of Economy Sets Export Priorities (para. 7) 
- Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan Sign Customs Agreement (para. 8) 
- Belarus to Build Gas Supply Network in Venezuela (para. 9) 
 
Quote of the Week (para. 10) 
----------------- 
 
------------- 
Civil Society 
------------- 
 
¶2.  Expelled Activist Drafted into Military 
 
Gomel-based Belarusian Popular Front (BPF) youth activist Dmitriy 
Zheleznichenko January 25 began a hunger strike to protest his 
January 22 expulsion from university and immediate conscription into 
military service.  Army officials informed the media January 30 that 
the activist suspended his hunger strike and has been transported to 
a military unit in Zhlobin.  The BPF denounced Zheleznichenko's 
draft as "illegal" and appealed to local courts and the Defense 
Minister.  Zheleznichenko is also facing fraud charges following his 
three-hour detention January 24 on suspicion of theft.  The victim 
of the theft claimed to recognize the activist as the thief, and on 
this basis the police opened a case against Zheleznichenko. 
 
¶3.  New Life Church Receives Warning 
 
A Minsk district prosecutor's office January 30 warned Vyacheslav 
Goncharenko, the Pastor of the Protestant New Life Church (NLC), 
about his refusal to allow officials access to NLC facilities.  The 
NLC dismissed the warning and says it will continue to not allow any 
GOB official inside the church until the Supreme Economic Court 
settles its ongoing dispute with the Minsk authorities involving 
building and land plot confiscation. 
 
¶4.  Activists Jailed for Unsanctioned Rally 
 
A Soligorsk district court January 29 sentenced activist Larisa 
Nasanovich and small business leader Aleksandr Tsetsuro to 15 days 
in jail on charges of leading an unsanctioned rally.  The police 
arrested Tsetsuro and Nasanovich the same day in central Soligorsk 
where they led a protest and collected signatures challenging social 
benefits cuts and recent changes to laws governing small businesses. 
 
 
¶5.  New Generation Protestants Fined 
 
A Baranovichy district court January 30 fined the local New 
Generation Protestant community BYR 700,000 (USD 330) for illegal 
worship.  Authorities maintained the church violated its lease by 
conducting illegal religious services there.  Lawyers for the group 
called the verdict "far-fetched," asserting that the charges came 
only as a result of local political pressure on the presiding 
judge. 
 
¶6.  Belarusian Christian Democracy Denied Registration 
 
The Supreme Court January 30 upheld the Justice Ministry's (MOJ) 
registration denial of the NGO Belarusian Christian Democracy (BCD). 
 BCD Co-chairman Aleksey Shein said that the verdict was 
"predictable" and "politically motivated" since other NGOs with the 
same charters had been registered.  The MOJ cited the BCD charter's 
inconsistency with legislation as a reason for denial.  Shein noted 
plans to re-apply and to begin preparations for a founding 
convention for the party. 
 
------------------- 
 
MINSK 00000074  002 OF 002 
 
 
International Trade 
------------------- 
 
 
¶7.  Ministry of Economy Sets Export Priorities 
 
Belarus' Ministry of Economy January 22 approved its export 
development plan for 2008, highlighting China, the United Arab 
Emirates, South Africa and the European Union as main priorities. 
Exports to China will include 65 BelAZ dump trucks, 300 Belarus 
tractors, 1,000 tons of flax fiber and at least 1 million tons of 
potash fertilizers.  The state-run Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant 
(MZKT) plans to complete deliveries under a contract with the UAE 
during 2008 and to create a joint venture in the UAE to provide 
maintenance and partial assembly of equipment.  The government 
ordered producers of trucks and tractors, bearings, machine-tools, 
optics and artificial fibers to increase exports to Syria.  Plans 
also call for the Belarusian Petroleum Company to open an office in 
the UK this year.  Companies subordinate to the State Military 
Industrial Committee are directed to enter the Indonesian, 
Malaysian, Thai and Philippine markets.  In addition, the Ministry 
of Trade, the State Property Committee and the Foreign Ministry are 
expected to elaborate detailed projects establishing Belarusian 
trade and logistics centers in Russian regions, as well as in 
Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. 
 
¶8.  Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan Sign Customs Agreement 
 
The Belarusian press reported that the Prime Ministers of Russia, 
Belarus, and Kazakhstan signed an agreement in Moscow January 25 to 
establish a regulatory framework for a customs union.  The three 
other members of the European-Asian Economic Community (EurAsEC), 
Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, have postponed a decision 
regarding the union.  Belarusian Prime Minister Sergey Sidorskiy 
stated that he hopes to have the union's energy and transport 
strategies approved by the next session of the EurAsEC Interstate 
Council. 
 
¶9.  Belarus to Build Gas Supply Network in Venezuela 
 
The Venezuelan Embassy in Minsk January 30 announced plans for a new 
Belarusian venture in Venezuela.  The plan calls for the Belarusian 
state-owned fuel supply company Belpalivagaz to create a gas supply 
network in the Venezuelan province of Barinas.  Representatives of 
the company will sign a contract in Venezuela in mid-February. 
 
---------------------- 
¶10.  Quote of the Week 
---------------------- 
 
Petr Prokopovich, head of the Belarusian National Bank, apparently 
believing his own government's propaganda about the bright economic 
future of Belarus: 
 
"Between 2010 and 2015, we will solve a series of fundamental 
problems.  In particular, the average Belarusian salary in 2015 will 
be no less than EUR 1,000.  This assignment has been sent down from 
our head of state." 
 
Stewart