VZCZCXYZ0004
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #0039 0321928
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 011921Z FEB 10
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV PRIORITY 3232
RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS PRIORITY 3225

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 010039 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
TO THE EMBASSIES IN VILNIUS AND KYIV FOR EMBASSY MINSK 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2020 
TAGS: BO KREC PGOV
SUBJECT: DIPLOMATIC NOTE PROPOSING RECIPROCAL LIFTING OF 
40 KM TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ON EMBASSY PERSONNEL IN MINSK 
 
Classified By: LSILVERMAN 
 
¶1. This is an action request.  See paragraph 3. 
 
¶2. (C) In a diplomatic note dated March 31, 2008, the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus imposed a requirement 
to provide 24-hour prior notification of all U.S. Embassy 
staff internal travel outside of a 40-km zone from the center 
of Minsk.  On July 2, 2008, solely on the basis of 
reciprocity, the Office of Foreign Missions (OFM) imposed 
similar restrictions on accredited employees of the Embassy 
of Belarus in Washington and the Consulate General in New 
York City.  On January 8, 2009, OFM issued a second note 
updating the restrictions to require notification by family 
members of accredited employees as well.  These restrictions 
were not imposed in response to security concerns, but solely 
in response to GoB restrictions on travel by our staff. 
 
On December 31, 2009, Embassy Minsk Charg received 
assurances from Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Aleinik that 
if the United States removes the travel restrictions on 
Belarusian officials in Washington and New York City, Belarus 
would remove similar restrictions on U.S. officials in Minsk. 
 Greater freedom to travel would improve the ability of 
Embassy staff to meet interlocutors, report on events across 
the country, and generally perform their required duties. 
The FBI has informed OFM that it has no objection to the 
removal of the controls on the basis of reciprocity. 
 
¶3.    (SBU) Action request: Embassy Minsk is requested to 
pass the diplomatic note below to the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs and notify the Department when a response is received. 
 
Begin diplomatic note: 
 
The Embassy of the United States of America presents its 
compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and 
refers the Ministry to the Ministry,s Note 6579 dated March 
31, 2008, addressed to this Embassy, to the Department,s 
Note 08-110 of July 2, 2008, addressed to the Embassy of 
Belarus in Washington, D.C., and to the Department,s Note 
09-02 of January 8, 2009, also addressed to the Embassy of 
Belarus in Washington.  Note 6579 imposed travel restrictions 
on staff of this Embassy, and the Department,s Notes 08-110 
and 09-02 imposed similar restrictions on the travel by 
members of the staff of the Embassy of Belarus in Washington 
and the Consulate General of Belarus in New York, as well as 
on family members of such staff. 
 
The U.S. Embassy is pleased to refer to recent diplomatic 
conversations indicating a mutual willingness to remove such 
travel restrictions and would like to inform the Ministry 
that the Department of State of the United States is prepared 
to remove such restrictions on members of the staff, and 
related family members, of the Embassy of Belarus in 
Washington and the Consulate General of Belarus in New York 
based on the Ministry simultaneously lifting the Government 
of Belarus,s restrictions on staff of the U.S. Embassy and 
related family members. 
 
On this basis, the U.S. Embassy proposes that, upon receipt 
of a note from the Ministry confirming the understanding 
outlined above, such restrictions would be removed, 
simultaneously, on the third business day following the 
receipt of said note by the U.S. Embassy.  For example, if 
said note is received on Monday, all such restrictions on 
U.S. staff and family members in Belarus and on staff and 
family members of the Embassy and Consulate General of 
Belarus in the United States would be eliminated as of 
opening of business on Thursday in our respective countries. 
 
The Embassy of the United States avails itself of this 
opportunity to renew assurances of its highest regard. 
 
End diplomatic note. 
CLINTON