Anatol Lyabedzka: US won’t finance tyranny
- 1.07.2009, 13:07
A US congressional delegation met with representatives of the Belarusian opposition and civil society in Minsk.
Chairman of the United Civil Party (UCP) Anatol Lyabedzka told the Charter’97 press center his impressions of the meeting with the American congressmen.
“The meeting began an hour later,” the UCP leader said. “As it turned out, Alyaksandr Lukashenka told the American congressmen about excellent situation with political rights and freedoms in Belarus. So, our meeting began later. But this doesn’t affect its duration. It lasted an hour and a half, as it was planned.”
According to Lyabedzka, the US congressmen didn’t change their positions on conditions of a dialogue with official Minsk during their conversation with Lukashenka.
“I know many of the congressmen present,” the politician told. “It was pleasant for me to see the same faces and the same people. It is very important. Many European politicians began to make concessions, change emphases and previous demands. But the congressmen didn’t change. They preserve the views they had. Their position is clear – investments and credits in exchange for an inner political dialogue, freedoms and release of political prisoners. One of the congressmen said that the US wasn’t ready to finance the political tyranny, but was ready to support development of democracy. This approach is realistic.”
Anatol Lyabedzka says the congressmen had a critical dialogue with the Belarusian ruler.
“As we understood from statements of the congressmen, they had a critical dialogue with Lukashenka,” the UCP chairman said. “They expressed their view of democracy development in Belarus. This is changes in the electoral legislation, respect for civil rights and liberties, economic market reforms, freedom of religious minorities and faith. Lukashenka also expressed his view of the situation. Time will show whether the authorities heard the voice of the American congressmen. They gave us to understand they expressed a common approach of the US. They thank us for the road map and said it would be taken into account in working out a strategy on the Belarusian issue.”
According to the UCP leader, a question of Belarusian political prisoners was discussed at the meeting with the US congressmen.
“We expressed our concern over political prisoners in Belarus,” Lyabedzka told. “The congressmen said it was a serious problem that should be solved.”
As Anatol Lyabedzka noted, the US expects not rhetoric but real actions from the Belarusian authorities.
“The congressmen said the United States needed not rhetoric but real actions for good relations with Belarus,” the UCP leader said. “If one says our situation is good, it is a bad message from the authorities. it will affect all Belarusians, because all European countries seek for good relations with the US.”